The Naked and Famous have a Mumford & Sons' moment on the opening track of their second album. Admittedly, the acoustic folk flourishes of A Stillness are slightly mangled and warped in typically TNAF fashion.
But there's definitely a touch of the Mumford to it. Then the song takes off into a slamming, stomping electronic squall which is more like what you expect to hear from the sonic synth-pop rock five-piece.
Still, A Stillness is a sign this album is different from their debut, 2010's excellent Passive Me, Aggressive You.
Of course, one of the challenges facing the Los Angeles-based Auckland band was writing a tune to match Young Blood, a song that was No 1 in New Zealand, a hit in the US, and a big reason why they are currently living their dream of touring the world playing music.
In Rolling Waves' first single, Hearts Like Ours, gives it a good shot with its throbbing synth and rousing sing-along lines. And there are plenty more effortless anthems here too, like I Kill Giants, an 80s-tinged spectral pop gem, and the Fleetwood Mac-meets-folkie electronica of What We Want.
