7/10
Over the years, Unknown Mortal Orchestra have been quite the divisive lot. Releasing their distinct brand of over-zealous psych-rock for the best part of a decade, the band have now expressed their intentions to produce a more diverse full-length this time around. Recorded in nearly every corner of the planet, 'Sex & Food' aims to be the most eclectic LP the group have ever produced, and that seems very clear from the start.
It seems fair to say that if you aren't interested in the opener 'Major League Chemicals', then this album probably isn't for you. Its bold and over-saturated psychedelica acts as a pressure point for where this album plans to go throughout its journey, and helps us get used to this warm bath of warped ideas the band have in store for us. But while it does have the odd jarring moment, 'Sex & Food' is largely an enjoyable release with still plenty of those classic UMO hallmarks to keep hardcore fans interested.
While their intentions were to make a far broader sound on this release, the result is much more succinct than we initially thought and manages to deliver a bunch of surprises throughout. A confident return from a band that still have much to offer.