FOLLOWING the surprise release of ‘3WW’ earlier this month, Alt-J have treated their legions of fans to yet another tantalising preview of upcoming album Relaxer.
Staying true to their preference for quirky and complex compositions, ‘In Cold Blood’ sees the band turn the volume up a notch with a blast of heavy brass and hard-hitting percussion. Refusing to adhere to any traditional pop song structure in true Alt-J style, the heady mix of flickering synthesizers, rumbling guitars and vibrant horns are all anchored by a massive ‘la la la’ hook which stays long in the memory; the dominant brass section indicating yet another voyage into new sonic territory for the band.
As the perfect counter-balance to the moody slow-burn of ‘3WW’, ‘In Cold Blood’ is undoubtedly one of their most visceral and hard-hitting cuts to date. The band said: “We started writing ‘In Cold Blood’ in our Leeds days and finished it last year in London. The brass was recorded at Abbey Road; the keyboards were done on a Casiotone that cost £1.05 on eBay; and no-one is quite sure where the key change came from. We hope you enjoy it.”
Setting itself up to be yet another deeply textured and experimental release from the three-piece, Relaxer will be unveiled on 2nd June. The band have a number of huge live shows lined up including The O2 in London and INmusic Festival, the biggest open-air music event in Croatia.
