Pivot
In The Blood EP
Warp Records

While my anticipation of the release of Pivot's sophomore album O Soundtrack My Heart reaches fever pitch, I have the In The Blood EP to feed my vampiric hunger for the compelling output of this very special band.

While I'm not normally a fan of remixes, this is an appealing package. In addition to album tracks "In The Blood" and "Didn't I Furious", you get a Rustie remix of "In The Blood’, a Clark remix of album track "Sweet Memory", and if you download the EP from iTunes, a track called "Blood Rise Red Dawn", which is basically a reworking of "In The Blood", presumably by Pivot themselves.

To anyone who is familiar with their debut album Make Me Love You, this EP will either make you scream "What the fuck are they doing?!" or "Yay, they're going more out there!" While MMLY was chock to the brim with tasteful Rhodes, jazzy guitar riffs and finger-clicking beats, this new material sees Pivot unmoored from the Earth and piloting a more adventurous path through an asteroid field of shuddering electro-rock. They've certainly found a fitting home at Warp Records.

"In The Blood" rides a killer bassline and pumping beat through all sorts of poinging synths and guitar tics, creating an edgy but groovy vibe that is conveyed effectively in the video featuring a shark attack. "Didn't I Furious" is twitchier still, with a crude riff and stuttering beat grinding your eardrum into paste. This track is a short, sharp shock that I keep coming back to.

Rustie's remix of "In The Blood" is a burbling, lurching ride that wouldn't sound out of place on a Roots Manuva album, while Clark's remix of "Sweet Memory" does all sorts of wonderful things with echoing guitars and tribal swells, creating a more contemplative atmosphere. It's a beauty. Finally, "Blood Rise Red Dawn" showcases Pivot's interest in synth journeymen Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis by taking the main keyboard line from "In The Blood" and feeding it through a processor labelled "Commodore 64 space odyssey".

All up, a worthwhile taster for the upcoming album.

Copyright © 2008 Tim Clarke