Informing us right from the opening line (‘stick around when it gets real’) of its intent, ‘Spook the Herd’ is a truly ambitious work of art which looks to keep us grounded in the realities of the present day (by commenting on important current affairs), whilst simultaneously taking us on a space journey (by using  dreamy, other-worldly, pop soundscapes).  Taking us into, slightly veiled, realities (“they get you in the end”; Baddies) and concurrently exploring progressive layered textures (think XX) of other worlds, ‘Spook’s big idea is to balance reflections of street life with the desire to help us escape our often mundane lives.  Perhaps observed sharpest on ‘Before they excavate’, an assault on cheap political answers to serious social questions (‘let’s gate crash the palace and reclaim what’s ours, let’s replace the billboards with beautiful art’) whilst building piano minimalism into a psychedelic backdrop, ‘Spook’ talks to both our high and low brows.  Excellent as both a protest and an escape album.