Figurines have the potential to be the new darlings of the Pitchfork posse. Their sound is reminiscent of US indie faves Tapes ‘n’ Tapes, The Shins and Modest Mouse with a bit of the rock classicism of the Beach Boys and Big Star thrown in for good measure.

Soaring harmonies, swirling organs, staccato guitars and the odd bit of banjo, along with ever-changing time signatures and mystery sounds could have resulted in a bit of a mess. But they have the tunes to pull it off.

‘The Air We Breathe’ takes all the best bits of early Mercury Rev and weds them with proper pop sensibilities and  ‘Let’s Head Out’ has all the hallmarks of classic indie-pop.

They went a bit White Stripes in the studio, using old tape-based recording equipment to give the album a warm and vital feel, with much of it recorded as live. The result is an ambitious whole, full of quirky and melodic songs. (Miles Taylor)