Milky melodic emo-tinged electronic with some “experimental” (note the quotes) Radiohead-like pieces of flare. Confessional, careful 90s alt-rock male vocals a la, dare I say it, the Postal Service. At times, evocative of mellower NIN. Synthy, bassy, easy-tempo Joy Division informed instrumental backing that often segues into a big alt rock realisation... not totally unlike the Foo Fighters? Altogether desolate, despairing, dystopian sound that could score a more contemplative Matrix.

Inu is a project of Count (Mikael Eldridge), a big-name producer who’s worked with New Order, Radiohead, et al. Also: Tim Hingston on guitar, and cellist Zoe Keating on strings. Filter calls this record “basically beautiful”, and I’ll second it. The first track alone is worth your time and a half.

try: all are good, but the standout is 1.
no FCCs

***1. starts quiet & eerie. i really hope the intro lyric is “don’t panic there’ll be pain for most of us.” absolutely gorgeous. period.
*2. most uptempo track on the record. live drums and synth. postal service fuzzpop chorus! about stephen colbert.
**3. verses carried by the stripped-down hauntster guitar line and tappy, pushy drums. nice fuzzed-out electric guitar overlay through to end.
*4. sounds like seven beats per measure. or the forbidding soundtrack to a DOS game. slow, crisp, slurred (as in the notation) vocals. swirly, fuzzy synth.
*5. starts with brassy sunrise noise. slow drums in around 1:20, crank-the-bass emo sendoff one minute to end. the most uneventful, straightforward track here.