I've recently been enjoying the album 'Rispah' by The Invisible. It was released last May; I found out about it after listening to Jessie Ware's 'Devotion' record and wondering 'who the hell produced this?!' It was Dave Okumu, singer and guitarist for The Invisible, so I thought I should check them out, as he'd made 'Devotion' a dark electronic beast, uncommon in the pop world I expected Jessie Ware to exist in.
'Rispah' was released on Ninja Tune so I'd hoped for some disturbing noises to be in there – and there sure is. The band blend the warmth of analog synths and drum machines with lo-fi segways, effected guitars and pounding percussion. There are some real hooks, accompanying tales of chemical abuse on nights out. In places it's halfway between Radiohead and Mathew Dear, with a clearer vocal delivery than the latter. I'd love to see these guys in a dark pounding environment. Plus they are as rock 'n' roll as they come – after Dave had a potentially fatal electrocution at a gig last year he was up and running in no time again to go on tour! What a guy!
– Andy Monaghan
