U.K. post-rock quartet Blanket put out their debut EP, Our Brief Encounters, in late 2017 to rapturous response from the alternative scene. It demonstrated the band's affinity for crafting intricate soundscapes that morphed through stages of loud and quiet with an assorted plethora of timbre, drawing from other largely instrumental acts such as Caspian and Explosions in the Sky. On their first full-length, they open things in style with title track "How to Let Go." It delivers a somber yet hopeful piano piece which recalls the title track intro of Smashing Pumpkins' Melon Collie & the Infinite Sadness. Around the minute-and-a-half mark, walls of overdriven guitar, thundering drums, and trem-picked riffs crash in like a tidal wave of noise. The beginning of "Our Tired Hearts" brings to mind the sound of Texan outfit This Will Destroy You and their 2006 EP Young Mountain; beautifully strummed guitar chords swim through waves of reverb before simmering cymbals and thudding kick drum carry the mix to an almighty thunderous crescendo. However, it's the last third of the record that really strikes the ear. One of the few cuts to feature vocals, "Turn Ourselves to Stone" is composed of wonderfully illustrative lyrics, ornate guitar melodies, and pulsating electronic beats, akin to the feel of 65daysofstatic. Album-closer "Immemorial Sea" is another surefire highlight: Delicate and paced, it's a fine example of the cinematic qualities and influences that Blanket hold so dear. ~ Rob Wacey
![They Want My Soul [Deluxe More Soul Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0191401209427_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "They Want My Soul [Deluxe More Soul Edition]")
