8/10

Since first emerging with their breakthrough debut album 'Days Are Gone' back in 2013, Californian sisters HAIM have been a solid addition to the radio-friendly pop-rock landscape. With offerings that saw them take influence from the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Michael Jackson, their familiar yet fresh aesthetic was enough to carry them through their well-received sophomore record 'Something To Tell You' in 2017. But with album number three, it feels like the trio are heading down a far more experimental road as 'Women In Music Pt. III' finds them in a far more adventurous guise than we have heard before.

From the very start, you certainly know that this is not going to be another carbon copy of their debut full-length. Opening us with the jazz-inspired breakbeats of 'Los Angeles', filled with Vampire Weekend-esque guitar hooks, it certainly feels like they want us to know that they are moving onto something very different for this collection. Even though there are still plenty of additions that look to mirror that traditional HAIM sound, there is a raw and explorative feel to everything they are creating, making for a wildly diverse and eclectic release that sees them reach further and wider than we can recall.

In retrospect, this definitely feels like the right time to release this kind of album. With an almost carefree attitude to their music, 'Women In Music Pt. III' feels like the beginning of something new for HAIM, where they can really break free of their commercial shackles and find a sound that moves the conversation forward.