How To Swim are a massive body. On the inside sleeve of their new record they list no fewer than 25 artists who helped put together the collection of tracks included, and so when the record opens with the surprisingly sombre title track you're left wondering just when the rest of the group are going to kick in.
Luckily more and more get involved as the songs go on, and second offering 'Small Parts Moving' features some fantastic instrumental moments.
Some tracks are a little hit and miss. 'Too Old For A Crush (To Be Endearing)' is monotonous and has the melody of a religious summer camp fire singalong - that is until we reach 90 seconds in and get presented with a mash-up of noise.
Unfortunately, the kick it so desperately needed lasts only a measly 20 seconds before going back to the spooky chanting. It then comes back but it all just feels like too muddled. It's one thing to be experimental, but this seems as if it was just thrown together for the sake of it rather than planned out with reasoning and thought.
This is a theme that continues with 'I Need A War' - the group are even trying too hard to be difficult in a bid to stand out from the crowd, or need to hone in on where they sound best by shaving numbers off their huge amount.
'It Doesn't Even Have To Be You' is successfully toe-tapping as our vocalist talks about 'looking 19 after a shave' and 'finishing in last place', mixing untypical and typical lyrics in a love song that's full of a clear passion for singing.
Again, 'Long Division' does well to prove that when they scale things down just a little bit they can sound fantastic if a little repetitive, though some lyrics are a tad disturbing: 'we're gonna break your boyfriend's legs, and me and you can go out tonight'.
Closing things with 'All That We Wait For', a softer side is shown as we're told we 'don't have to smash his windows in'. The pining for somebody who's in another relationship is reminiscent of a lot of records in the industry but How To Swim seem to go about things in a different manner.
They go against the grain which always means that bravery should be applauded. This is a balanced collection where neither the good or bad tunes outweigh one another. I came away from it feeling a little deflated which isn't what I look for in new music.
Less is sometimes more, and that's a sentiment How To Swim could certainly learn from.
'Niagara' is out now.