AMBITION is perhaps the defining characteristic of Man Of Moon, the young Edinburgh duo that seemed entirely capable of conquering the musical landscape upon releasing their fantastic debut single ‘The Road.’

Still in their infancy, the amount of plaudits that have been allotted to them have no doubt been the envy of bands that have paid their dues for years.

While this idea of maintaining a sense of striving for more at every turn may be all well and good on paper, it isn’t a sentiment which always translates as well. Limitations can be found, creative differences discovered and left to eradicate all which has been accomplished.

While there may be many a cautionary tale for them to examine, Man Of Moon’s sense of purpose and cohesiveness of mission statement have never seemed clearer than on ‘Medicine’, their brand new EP and one which expands upon the early promise that they’d exhibited last year.

Now a well known track in their repertoire thanks to their attention-grabbing turn at BBC Quay Sessions last year, ‘I Run’ is as visceral as they’ve dared to get at this stage and it is all the more transfixing for it.

Bombastic in scale, its hard edged riffs and hulking percussion sees them venture into the realm of many modern blues purveyors but notably deviate from the standard outline which they tend to follow. Spacious throughout its verses before inundating the listener with destructive bursts of guitar, the track exudes energy and is representative of the creativity that rests at the heart of the band.

Elsewhere, ‘When I Wake’ is a discombobulating psych ballad, filled with woozy textures and the level of carefully maintained restraint which is usually exhibited by shoegaze outfits in creating rich musical landscapes. With percussion used sparingly and Chris Bainbridge’s lilting vocals residing in the foreground, it kicks into life with an angular riff  and percussion that sounds all the more stirring amid the relative silence that had preceded its arrival.

Expanding upon the groundwork which was laid upon ‘The Road’, ‘Sign’ is a motorik based composition which demonstrates the ease with which they can ramp up the intensity and their understanding of the pivotal nature of rhythm. With a musical synergy that cannot be denied, the moves and idiosyncrasies in their playing seem to compliment one another and provide the vessel through which a truly powerful unit can be established. Calculated yet with a sense of volatile passion, ‘Sign’ is among the strongest indications that they know precisely what it is that makes them great and are willing to explore every crevice of this terrain.

Tempering down after the thrill ride that is ‘Sign’, ‘Voices’ acts an another testament to the dynamic nature of their sound. Despite the fact that their sound may predominantly comprise of little more than guitar and drums, it doesn’t prevent their deluge of ideas from straining to get out and pepper any given track with more shifts and qualities than most bands would dare to include within a four minute pop song. Once again setting out in a malaise before becoming lucid and raw towards its conclusion, the track provides a fitting conclusion for an EP that convulses with untethered originality.

Preparing to stride upon the stage of the hallowed King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut this evening, Man Of Moon can rest safe in the knowledge that their ambitiousness is not misguided and the songs which they’ve poured over for the last year have ensured that they remain one of the nation’s hottest prospects to have emerged in many years.