Album Review – Anakin, Radio Transmission Failure

San Diego space cadets Anakin have been with us since 2010 and their latest album, Radio Transmission Failure, follows on from 2012’s Random Accessed Memories and last years Celestial Frequency Shifter, they have established their heavy yet spacey sound on their first two albums, so what does their latest offering have in store?

With a name like Anakin and the fact that this is released on Kenobi Records I was expecting some unashamedly geeky rock, whilst there are elements of the likes of Weezer, Stereolab and Nerf Herder in their sound this is a different beast. Opening track Ultrasonic is a slow heavy fuzz drenched and spacey number, and that is pretty much the template for the rest of album. The heavy guitar sound is lightened by the quirky keyboards and breathed vocals that gives Radio Transmission Failure an extremely poppy sensibility, one that belies the heavy overdriven guitars and drums that are an ever present feature of the album.

Radio Transmission Failure is a progression from their first two albums, whilst all the same elements are present that were a hallmark of their previous albums, this is a more refined and balanced release than it’s predecessors, it carries a pop sensibility that makes it more accessible but, and there is a fairly big but, this is a somewhat one dimensional album. There are only mild variations in the songs and I can’t help feeling that some more variety is needed, yes this is a more polished version of the style they perfected on their previous albums and EP’s, but unless they begin to inject some variation into their material they’re in danger of becoming something of a one trick pony. In Star Wars terms this is by no means a Phantom Menace of an album, it’s more of a Return Of The Jedi, hopefully they can avoid the prequels and skip straight to the Force Awakens for their next album.

Radio Transmission Failure can be purchased here

Anakin‘s revamped website can be visited here