*Vinyl edition includes a download code redeemable directly from the label* Since 2008's gorgeous 'Luminarium', Swedish troupe Tape have been holed up in their Summa studio in Stockholm, studiously busying themselves hand-crafting a follow up. And what a sequel it is; 'Revelationes' is everything you would hope for from the band and more, finding the well-worn sound of brothers Andreas and Johan Berthling pushing into darker, more downtrodden territory. The overwhelming prettiness of Tape's back catalogue has been pushed aside; echoes of Slint's genre-defining 'Spiderland' haunt the opening notes of 'Dust and Light', but when the signature organs and electronics finally make an appearance it is a markedly more subtle and melancholy affair than we might have expected from the band. 'Revelationes' is somehow deeply sad and incredibly affecting, but is a record flecked with hope - the curiously uplifting vibraphones, wavering theramin and jazz-tinged drums offering an occasional and much needed counterpoint to the mood. The band have refined their craft over an enviable selection of full-lengths, and 'Revelationes', which clocks in at an economical thirty-two minutes, is easily their most focused to date. No song drags or outstays its welcome, instead their pieces are pointed and enjoyable, bringing to mind Tortoise at their very best. A beautiful album - Highly RecommendedA1 Dust And Light A2 Companions A3 Hotels A4 Byhalia B1 In Valleys B2 The Wild Palms B3 Gone Gone
