Indoor Pets - Be Content

Indoor Pets almost didn’t get here, yet they navigated some well-publicised obstacles that would have scuppered a lesser band. Finally, their debut has arrived and it is, gloriously, a nailed-on success full of sparkling, life-affirming capital-letter BANGERS. From the opening shrug of “I’ll never graduate in rock and roll” onwards, ‘Be Content’ isn't a record about wishing you were the cool kid. Instead it finds itself chasing down self-acceptance, celebrating its place on the edge of the party.

Skipping easily through genres like the pages of an old book, there is the sense of a band eager to stay light on their feet, undefinable and hungry for new adventures in sound. Tracks like the triumphant, anthemic ‘Heavy Thoughts’ and the stomping, glam Weezer-esque ‘Crouch’ showcase a band that is only just starting to realise their potential. Most excitingly of all, ‘The Mapping Of Dandruff’ is the moment when a new door opens completely for the Kent band. Shimmering, dripping in reverb, it is worlds away from anything they have done before, and hints at a dizzying array of possible futures.

Breathing new life into old favourites at the same time, subtle new flavours are added to the likes of ‘Pro Procrastinator’ - avoiding that classic indie pitfall of a debut appearing over-familiar by the time it arrives. Instead, everything here feels vibrant, fresh, vital and now - in an instant, all of the trials and tribulations of Indoor Pets have been swept away leaving behind the signs of a hugely exciting future.

Jamie MacMillan