Now 30 years plus into their career, Primal Scream have returned once again with their eleventh studio album, Chaosmosis.
Straight off the bat, 'Trippin' On Your Love' opens with those familiar piano chords introducing a conga-led groove, also found on staple track 'Movin' On Up' - unfortunately it comes across as a modern day re-hash of their most recognisable sound - a safe start to the record, but classic Scream nonetheless.
The hypnotic 'I Can Change' - the second release from Chaosmosis - however, is far-removed from the bands early days, as Bobby Gillespie delivers delicate whispers that breeze over vintage synths and toy keyboard tones. The track sounds like something fellow nineties icon Damon Albarn could have produced when he stepped ashore Gorillaz' sun-drenched Plastic Beach.
Thankfully - similar to Albarn - Primal Scream have never found themselves stuck in one gear, relying solely on sounds that throw-back to 'golden-era' versions of themselves. Instead, they continue to explore genres and introduce modern elements and sounds into the mix - a trait that's documented more-so throughout the new record. 'Feel Like A Demon Again' has an ice cold production, spread thick with electro-pop beeps and tight beats, as Gillespie vocalises lurking insecurities and torment following a failed relationship: "I was jealous and insane, medication kills the pain".
With one eye firmly on the current music scene, the band have invited hand-picked contemporary collaborators along for the ride. Bobby and co recruited LA sisters Haim to feature on two Chaosmosis cuts - a relationship sparked between the bands after they shared the bill on Later...With Jools Holland, followed shortly after by The Scream inviting the trio to join them onstage at Glastonbury back in 2013. While Gillespie's hope to inject a shot of California sunshine soul with the sisters Mamas and Papas-esque harmonies is apparent on the opening track, '100 % Or Nothing' sees Chaosmonos continue down a darker path, with Haim's theatrical vocal refrains of "What did you expect?" channelling solo Stevie Nicks.
'Private Wars' introduces another collaboration, this time in the form of Cats Eyes' Rachel Zeffari, who lends understated backing vocals to this stripped- back, folk ballad. There's yet another change of pace as 'When The Blackout Meets The Fallout' momentarily transports us back to the days of 'Swastika Eyes' - though it doesn't appear to add much beyond a healthy slice of nostalgia and mayhem.
Stepping into commercial territory, 'Where The Light Gets In' embraces a straight-up pop sound, that the band haven't fully immersed themselves in since the top five smash, 'Country Girl' a decade ago. Exchanges between Gillespie and Sky Ferreira explode into a gigantic earworm choruses and a cutting angular guitar that could blow the roof off any indie-disco club night.
While Chaosmosis is stylistically all over the place, it leaves no doubt that the band are still having fun in the studio and even after thirty years in the game, continue to be excited by the changing musical landscape. Primal Scream may be crossing genres more than ever before - but there are moments here to satisfy fans from any era of their back catalogue, whether it be pop or the downright bizarre.
Primal Scream have also announced four headline dates ahead of their UK Festival dates. See here for tickets and more more information.
29 March - ABERDEEN Beach Ballroom
30 March - GLASGOW ABC
1 April- LONDON Palladium
2 April - MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Meanwhile, their festival dates are as follows:
28 May - Common People, Southampton Common, Southampton
29 May - Common People, South Park, Oxford
24 July - Secret Garden Party, Mill Hill Fields, Huntingdon
13 - August Down To The Woods, Sedgefield, near Durham
