Esben and The Witch | A

Nestled somewhere between post-punk and goth, Esben and The Witch are riding on the success of similar British acts such as The Horrors and The xx; they couldn't have timed the release of their debut album more perfectly. However, Violet Cries brings far more than a perfect example of scheduling to the table. The Brighton-based trio combines electronic beats, swirling guitars and haunting vocals to great effect, creating a dense sound from start to finish.

There have been no attempts to tone down the intensely dark sounds typical to Esben and the Witch. The vocals are free to soar, and the whole album could easily be moulded together as one long artistic soundscape rather than ten tracks.

"Hexagons IV" builds delicately around lead singer Rachel Davies lingering reverb drenched vocals. "Warpath" provides the album's most energetic guitar riff and the closest you'll find to sing-a-long lyrics, and their song, "Marching Song" is so fantastically dense that it's almost energy-sapping to listen to. It's anti-radio, anti-pop and most certainly not mainstream, but for those with an open mind, Violet Cries is definitely worth listening to.

Don't expect to see them embarking on a worldwide stadium tour anytime soon, but already known in England for providing intense live shows, intimate venues may be a good thing. For anyone inclined to dark and somewhat experimental music, pick up a copy of Violet Cries and get yourself a ticket to their New York show on March 5. You won't be disappointed.