8/10

After breaking through with their sensational debut album 'When I Have Fears' in 2019, Dublin's The Murder Capital set themselves apart from all the other post-punk-inspired outfits emerging at that time. While the scene became saturated with Joy Division knockoffs and imitators, The Murder Capital looked to become something more inventive and experimental than their peers. And now after a few years away to figure out their next move, they return with their sophomore studio album 'Gigi's Recovery', a record that sees them confidently build on those initial leanings.

Throughout this new release, The Murder Capital perform great strides to deliver something with more gusto and intensity than before. Regularly adopting a dark and haunted atmosphere in which to pursue their latest guise, 'Gigi's Recovery' comes across as a far more sombre and emotionally-charged endeavour, led by the visceral vocal performance of frontman James McGovern. Keeping much of the same brutal drive of their former full-length, this new collection has this flair of unwavering consistency at its core, making for an incredibly captivating listen.

While 'When I Have Fears' certainly drew attention to the five-piece, 'Gigi's Recovery' maintains it with some brilliantly enticing offerings. It feels like their time away from the scene has allowed some perspective to seep in, and give them the opportunity to return with something even more compelling than before.