8/10

When Scottish outfit The Snuts first arrived, they were heralded as the future of the UK's indie-rock scene. With a flurry of bold and impactful singles under their belt, their debut album 'W.L.' quickly topped the charts upon its week of release and established them as something far more than just a name with a lot of buzz around it. But as they look to follow up their initial offering with the cliched "difficult second album", they are breaking the mould at almost every turn as they deliver their sophomore LP 'Burn The Empire', a record that sees them explore a multitude of new ideas.

Rather than rest on their laurels and continue their venture in a more conventional direction, 'Burn The Empire' sees them take an opportunity to try and discover something new about themselves. Much like how Arctic Monkeys tried to go bigger and more explosive for their second collection 'Favourite's Worst Nightmare', The Snuts have also thrown out the rulebook of expectations and returned with a wonderfully varied release. Keeping much of their rich and diverse aesthetic the focus here, there is this brilliantly innovative flair running the length of this record, bringing something fresh and interesting to sink your teeth into.

While that initial studio album was no doubt a huge boost for their profile, 'Burn The Empire' feels far more like their true selves. Brimming with a bright and inventive purpose, The Snuts have pulled off a return that adds yet more fire to their impressive streak so far.