Experimental south coast collective The Go! Team have always pushed the auditory boundaries throughout their innovative decade-plus long existence, a Mercury nomination for their 2005 debut long player Thunder Lightning Strike bears testament to that.
The band’s fifth album released once more on Memphis Industries is still largely a solo vehicle for Ian Parton, roping in whichever collaborator suits his latest musical vision at the time, in this instance a couple of Go! Team original members, guitarist Sam Dook and rapper Ninja, not to mention the dulcet tones of Amber Arcades chanteuse Annelotte De Graaf.
Picking up where Malcolm McLaren, Afrika Bambaattaa, and Lemon Jelly left off, with a splash of Polyphonic Spree and Blaxploitation thrown in for good measure, 'Semicircle’ is a sumptuous slice of exuberant summer urbanity, leading one to longingly reminisce of those scarce lazy warm evenings outdoors; particularly welcome with the snow currently blanketing the frozen Yorkshire countryside.
Barnstorming ‘Mayday’ effortlessly blends Morse code beats with Spector style 60s psychedelic cheerleader anthems in a thrill a minute classic that grabs you by the short and curlies. The equally alluring lead-off single and title track nags at you throughout and reminds me of 80s Nu Shooz classic ‘I Can’t Wait’; bolstered in no small way by a guest appearance from members of the Detroit Youth Choir. Album highlight is arguably the joyously kaleidoscopic ‘If There’s One Thing You Should Know’, welding Jamaican steel drums with the humble recorder, topped off with a shimmering melody to great effect whilst the funk soaked ‘She’s Got Guns’ revisits the bands sassier leanings.
Their Go! Team sonic spaceship will be landing at Leeds Wardrobe on 10th February and it’s sure to be a veritable tickertape parade. Whoever’s sweeping up after the gig will no doubt not be finished until dawn. Be there or be square.
Words - Mike Price
Semicircle is out now on Memphis Industries
Tracklisting;
Mayday
Chain Link Fence
Semicircle Song
Hey!
The Answer's No - Now What’s the Question?
Chico’s Radical Decade
All the Way Live
If There’s One Thing You Should Know
Tangerine / Satsuma / Clementine
She’s Got Guns
Plans are Like a Dream U Organise
Getting Back Up
The Go! Team live;
09 Feb - Glasgow, Oran Mor10 Feb - Leeds, Wardrobe11 Feb – Brighton, Haunt15 Feb – London, Electric Ballroom16 Feb – Newcastle, Riverside17 Feb - Manchester, Gorilla22 Feb - Amsterdam, Paradiso02 March - Cologne, Gebäude 903 March - Hamburg, Nochtspeicher04 March - Berlin, Bi Nuu