7/10

Returning little over a year since their seminal debut album 'The Album Paranoia', Reading-via-London art-rockers Ulrika Spacek are back with another dose of reverb-filled soundscapes to add to their quickly growing repertoire of material. Much like their former release, 'Modern English Decoration' aims to bring together the band's fondness for lo-fi energy with a hint of a haunted and tortured demeanour.

While on first listening, the record hasn't really moved on from their debut, it is clear that they have refined their sound in the brief time they have been away. Tracks like 'Silvertonic' look to bridge the gap between their shoegaze influencers and a more contemporary style, that overall creates a record with both depth and a more cohesive direction. While singles such as 'Dead Museum' and 'Everything, All The Time' deliver a much needed dose of fuzz to keep you engaged throughout.

So while they have still stayed true to their initial sound, 'Modern English Decoration' is certainly a step in the right direction as far as an evolved ambition is concerned. Ulrika Spacek are definitely a band on the up and this new LP shows exactly what their intentions are.