Despite their somewhat unpleasant band name, Hookworms are sonically soaring rather than slithering forward.
Microshift doesn’t quite abandon their previous psychedelia but develops it liberally, taking plenty of 80s inspiration like before - somehow getting purposefully flat drums and mechanical bass to sound effortlessly funky with a punky, rocky, often urgent undertone.
But some is so 80s that the ambient Reunion would sound at home on the Stranger Things soundtrack.
It’s fair to say that Microshift is a bit more controlled, a bit less fuzzy - but by no means results in less energy - the distorted groove of Ullswater is almost too fitting for a Technicolor-lit Big Top setting.
First track and single Negative Space is arguably the highlight, justifying its longer length. The band also reinstate vinyl mentality; like Public Service Broadcasting, this album is made to be listened to chronologically - even if streamed - to do the flows between justice.
It’s more accessible to new listeners than previous The Hum and Pearl Mystic, leading some critics say this is modern pop. If that’s true, I like where modern music is heading.
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9.5
