8/10

After delivering their incredible self-titled debut album last year, supergroup Minor Victories have returned to unveil their new full-length 'Orchestral Variations', a reimagining of their initial studio release. And while the sound of their debut was of a progressive and brooding nature, this new work seems to have completely reinvented their work as blissfully quaint classical pieces.

If you were to listen to their original album and this back to back, you would find it hard to hear the similarities between them. 'Orchestral Variations' is such a separation in both direction and intention, that the result comes across as something wonderfully heartwarming instead. Each composition is filled with this incredible array of instrumentation and depth, showing that rather than simply have an orchestra perform their songs, the band have rewritten each work to be played in a new style, giving it a whole new tone and listening experience.

And while this may not have much to do with the atmosphere created on their self-titled debut album, Minor Victories have shown that they are an extremely versatile outfit with some wonderful ideas. This record is beyond being a quirky gimmick and is, in fact, a brilliant single piece in its own right.