Combining styles of the past with a thoroughly modern presentation, Cots offer up something special on their new album. Disturbing Body, out today on Boiled Records, finds Steph Yates waxing lyrical about matters of the heart, to paraphrase the press information, while adding a Jobim-like sense of melody to what is modern post-punk.
While the title cut mixes jazz with other elements for something down-tempo and winning, the spry "Bitter Part of the Fruit", like so much here, recalls early Everything But the Girl. If Yates is more interested in mood than anything else, at least the mood's a languid and appealing one. "Bluebird" faintly recalls Joni, but "Inertia of a Dream", a highlight here, seems in line with recordings from Broadcast and Goldfrapp.
Steph Yates has a wonderful voice, but it's her sense of mood that makes all of Disturbing Body a haunting listen. Rarely do things derail from the vibe here, but at moments the music feels less influenced by jazz and more by minimalist art rock. That Yates makes these genres sync up together speaks to her talent, and the skills of Cots to convey so much with such a simple output.
Disturbing Body is out today via Boiled Records.
[Photo: JG & Shi]