Album Review: Wolf Alice - My Love Is Cool

North Londoners Wolf Alice had all but arrived when they dropped their first two EPs, Blush in 2013 and Creature Smiles in 2014, the latter blasting their edgy and attitude-charged single Moaning Lisa Smile further afield than into the heads of initial followers. Ellie Rowsell’s bipolar folk-child to woman-of-fury vocal is arguably responsible for that immediate intrigue and many kudos since. What becomes more apparent over the course of this more lengthy insight, however, is that there’s much, much more to this band than its compelling frontwoman. 

My Love Is Cool is all about the build-up; the catch-and-release mood these guys set from opening to end is one that seems to belie their young years. Every song has a purpose and earns its rightful place on the album; not one has the air of being there just to fill the gaps. Turn To Dust takes on its own transporting journey, the lilts in Rowsell’s eerie voice taking a step back in time to soft folk, but the surrounding guitar sections keep it well in the now. Then that ‘90s grunge vibe kicks in on You’re A Germ, with whispered lyrics between a punchy offbeat and gang vocals. And so it goes on, an irresistible ebb and flow between buzzing, squealing bangers (Giant Peach, Fluffy) and taut, quiet-in-the-chaos moments (Lisbon, Swallowtail). It’s this alternating tone and texture that threads interesting lines throughout this album. Fuzzy shoegaze in Soapy Water, light and bright poppy beats in Freazy and Rowsell’s razor-edged vocal in The Wonderwhy make it just plain mesmerising.