It's funny how certain times of the year demand a certain type of release. It's not uncommon that you listen to a record and think: "If this had come out six months ago it could easily have been the soundtrack to my summer/winter/holiday/whatever." Records are even adorned with such adjectives as 'summery' and 'wintery', to only further cement the idea that they are best digested when served along side the appropriate climate. If that's the case then let it be said that Royal Bangs' Let It Bleep is a perfect record for this time of year. Don't let that fool you into thinking that it's awash with minimalist electronics and glacial landscapes; this my friends is the record you're going to get crazy drunk to. Shit yeah.Picked up by The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney, who signed them to his Audio Eagle label in the US, Knoxville’s Royal Bangs are a riot. They let loose a cacophony of frenetic drums (oh my god the drums), fuzz bass, screaming guitars, syrupy synths and 8-bit programming on the ears. If Passion Pit did garage rock, this is what they'd sound like.At times the band sound like they're making it up as they go along ”“ which is all part of the charm. 'Poison Control' launches with a glitchy drum beat, dissonant guitar and silky piano line which builds ”“ new melodies braid around old, new sounds are introduced to the tapestry ”“ until a full minute and a half in it's revealed that, in fact, this isn't an instrumental: "Don't bring home that poison / WELL YOU SMELL LIKE SMOKE AND YOUR HAIR'S UNDONE!!!!" screams Ryan Schaefer.Continuing with 'My Car Is Haunted', tribal, off-kilter, pots-and-pans percussion backs a riff that is classic 70's rock: bass and guitar right on top of each other. 'Brainbow' finds itself somewhere between Animal Collective and Radiohead as vocoded lyrics play call and answer with a spastic synth line and gentle harp chords before it launches in to something that sounds like it's been lifted from the Double Dragon soundtrack. '1993' opens with the wide-eyed enthusiastic noise-pop of Los Campesinos! The album continues in this fashion ”“ fueled on vodka mixed with Redbull mixed with Sega Megadrives ”“ with its foot firmly on the accelerator for the duration.With a mix of on the button electronics, synths and programming fused with classic, hook-heavy 70s rock Let It Beep is a thrill a minute. With this much pace, energy and excitement coming from a band who sound like they're having the time of their lives, surely it would be rude not to join in.

Buy album from Amazon | [itunes link="http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/who-am-kong-bonus-track/id338535925?uo=4" title="Royal_Bangs-Let_It_Beep_(Bonus_Track_Version)_(Album)" text="iTunes"]