7/10

After releasing their highly-praised debut album 'Fad' in 2020, Dublin-based post-punks Silverbacks found themselves riding a wave of praise, thanks to their distinctly droll approach to the genre. With a witty and sarcastic tone to their work, they quickly built up a devout fanbase and should have been set for a rollercoaster year if it wasn't for the global pandemic stifling their plans. But after a couple of years within this never-ending stop-start approach to life, they have galvanised themselves within their sophomore full-length 'Archive Material', a record that breathes a desire to reflect their own personal influences.

The name 'Archive Material' aims to pay homage to the acts and sounds that first influenced the group. With the 1970s New Wave and post-modern New York style referenced and pursued throughout this new collection, the release looks to hark back to their earliest inspirations and reinvent them for a modern ear. But it also keeps its mentality firmly in the present as we hear stories of the pandemic era, namely as Daniel O’Kelly spent months working in insurance while his sister treated those suffering in a COVID ward, creating this strong juxtaposition between the two times and what similarities they now share.

If their debut LP set the standard of what Silverbacks are capable of, 'Archive Material' sees them grow within their sound throughout. With a succinct yet varied direction throughout, their newest release is a strong and vibrant return to form, filled with all the same bright and exciting ideas we first loved them for.