Single Review: Radio 9 – Learn To Walk Through Walls

Radio 9 are touting some fairly heavyweight names in their biography – the Oslo via London 'krautpop' band have worked with everyone from Public Image's Keith Levine; to the prolific Paul Epworth; to Can maestro Damo Sazuki; to Depeche Mode producer Gareth Jones. That list of collaborators could just as easily double as a roll call of influences, with the band crafting accomplished metronomic synthpop, with just a touch of krautrock's spiraling, progressive tendencies. The EP's opening track 'A Futuristic Journey By Car' is also it's strongest, an 8 minute epic that – as the title suggests – invites some comparison with Kraftwerk's Autobahn, as well as the softly voiced motorik journey's undertaken by Fujiya & Miyagi. The production is an understated joy, dry snares and hats insistently whispering over full fat bass pulses, like an android dreaming of a perfect stretch of limitless tarmac. "Endless dreams of lines" they sing. 

Further in the EP touches on rougher post punk, Underworld-esque stadium techno, and synth washed plateaus – all capably achieved (perhaps with a touch too much polish) but I can't help feeling that they haven't quite lived up to their potential yet. Having said that the opening track is worth the price of admission alone – ones to watch for sure.

Buy/ stream here