I'm pretty late to this one but happy to report that the latest Spectrums release, the simply-titled II, is out, and it further strengthens the hand of this trio as an instrumental force to be reckoned with. This fact shouldn't surprise given that these players -- David Barker (guitar), Simon Ley (drums), and David Nicholas (guitar) -- did time in other area acts (Sansyou, Cobra Collective, and others), and have had chances to refine their chops, as they say.
II opens with the hard "What's in the Box", a song with the same title as a Boo Radleys classic, and that one segues into the bright "Catching Dart", all rippling guitar-lines unfurling around a light beat. Elsewhere, "3D" offers up instrumental passages that recall "Regret"-era New Order numbers, while the chiming "Tokyo Tower" sounds a whole lot like the best bits on that Air Miami long-player. If there are no vocals in Spectrums' world, that's okay as the hooks here are big ones, carried aloft by the dueling guitars of Nicholas and Barker.
A spry half-album's worth of excellent numbers, II showcases the skills of these musicians, and offers proof that, for players with a deft touch, an instrumental release can have as much tunefulness as a record full of vocal numbers.
II is out now. More details on Spectrums via the band's official Facebook page.