Warpaint - The Fool

Mood is important. Get it just right on your debut album and people are bound to take notice. The xx nailed this feat on the sleeper success of 2009, and L.A.’s Warpaint have come pretty close to doing likewise on their long-awaited debut: nine songs that flit liberally from one sound to the next – often within the same track – but together create a smoky, slow-mo feel that’s darkly hypnotic. The subtly brilliant ‘Undertow’ ‘Shadows’’ whirlpool vocals are both highlights, serving up a sonic brew that’s entirely the band’s own. It doesn’t all hit the mark – ‘Majesty’ and ‘Composure’ are over-long and overly aloof for starters – but when it does, The Fool marks these four ladies out as something very special.