Amelia

The overwhelming technical proficiency and engaging lyricism of Long Fin Killie remain on Amelia, but the band finally masters control of their strengths and pares them down for their most thrilling, least jumbled work. If there was point of criticism for Long Fin Killie's previous output, it was that there was too much happening. On Amelia, there is a near absence of lengthy hypno-tangents, with taut rhythmic constructions — occasionally inspired by drum'n'bass — as the driving force. As a result, the material sounds more naturally developed, neither stiched together nor slapdash. Though David Turner was no slouch on the drum stool, his replacement, Kenny McEwan, lends the band another dimension to its sound. Highlights: the blissed-out "British Summertime" (as gorgeous as prime Kitchens of Distinction), the lustful "Lipstick" (an exceptional drum'n'bass song), the seething "Kismet," the shimmering/skittering "Deep House" (drum'n'bass again, not deep house).