5/10

In 2015, Mumford & Sons went electric. Although not quite as dramatic a move as when Bob Dylan made a similar decision in the midst of his career, it was enough to split fans down the middle on their third studio album 'Wilder Mind'. Ditching their traditional banjo and acoustic aesthetic for a more contemporary sound, the album was met with mixed appeal as to where they would be heading next. Now as they unveil their fourth full-length 'Delta', we can hear that they have stuck to their guns on their newfound direction but seem more assured in themselves this time around.

It is fair to say that the original style of Mumford & Sons is now dead and buried as the four-piece have become more of a cross between Coldplay and Kodaline, mixing bold and anthemic production with a rather bland emotional connection throughout. Although they have lost the only part of them that made them stand out from the crowd, it seems that have finally tweaked their songwriting enough to suit their newfound intentions. 'Delta' has that all too common feeling of being pleasant to listen to but never really catching your ear. Its lack of memorable hooks and moments leave this record feeling underwhelming at times, even though it is fair to say that they haven't really written any bad songs on here.

Mumford & Sons seem to have found themselves a comfort zone and aren't really doing much to push themselves out of it. The album moves easily from one track to another, but without any really passion or energy within their performance, the record just kind of flows by without any real impact. A familiar story of bands still trying to stay relevant a decade after their debut LP, but for Mumford & Sons, it does feel like the spark of inspiration is fading fast.