Having spent most of 2007 writing and recording in a converted East London synagogue, Guillemots return on March 24th, with possibly the first truly great British pop album of 2008. A masterclass in dynamic, exhilarating pop music, the eleven-song ‘Red’ adds a distinct edge to their Mercury-nominated sound and follows three must-see taster live shows in Manchester (March 9th, 2008), Oxford (March 10th) and London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire (March 11th).

Harder, fatter and more disciplined than their critically acclaimed, gold-selling debut LP ‘Through the Windowpane’, but equally ambitious, ‘Red’ sounds like nothing else. It’s darker and angrier, but also more beautiful, and the band’s knack for melody is matched this time round by an endless cavalcade of inspired beats, bass and loops.

Written by all four members of the band – Fyfe Dangerfield, Magrao, Aristazabal Hawkes and Greig Stewart, it was co-produced by the visionary four-piece alongside their longstanding engineer Adam Noble (George Michael, U2 and Paul McCartney).

From the jagged string stabs that unleash mutant disco-glam opener “Kriss Kross”, to the desolate late-night pulse of final track “Take Me Home”, it’s a tour-de-force that marries Guillemots’ natural melodic flair with a sense of dancefloor abandonment, not heard since Prince’s ’80s wild pop adventures. Other stand out tracks include the sleazy R’n'B raunch of “Big Dog”, the gorgeous perfection of “Falling Out Of Reach”, cyber-electro club-classic-in-waiting “Last Kiss” (featuring Arista and Magrao on vocals), the haunting simplicity of “Words” and the tribal electro stomp of first single “Get Over It”, released March 17th, 2008 on Polydor.

“We didn’t want to make Through The Windowpane 2,” says lead singer Fyfe Dangerfield. “That was a softer record. This time around we just wanted to make a bunch of pop songs that punched, instantly.”

“To make pop songs that demand your attention, that make you stop in your tracks when they come on the radio, that’s our ultimate ambition.” One play of ‘Red’ suggests that’s exactly what they’ve done.

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Related: Exclusive interview with Guillemots drummer Greig Stewart!