Released on Coventry’s Tough Love Records, the debut album from William crackles in all of the right places and comes blasting out of the speakers. Few records this year will have an opening gambit which arrives with such noisy purpose as early single Five Minute Wonder, a relentless indie-pop nugget perfect for the dancefloor, and which careers joyously out of control as it reaches a blistering conclusion.

The London-based trio clearly share a fondness for jerky rhythms, serrated guitar lines and feedback, like Sonic Youth at their most conventional and tuneful. They also seem to be on a mission to bring danceability back into indie-rock. Self-conscious twitching by fashionistas need not be on the menu – Self in Fiction is packed with songs which are impeccably cool but, perhaps more importantly, great fun too.

Aperture, with its rumbling bassline and taut, staccato guitar part, is a vacuum-packed pop song while Playground is also a rollicking delight with chugging guitars and thunderous drumming.

Dripping with hooks, Self in Fiction begs for repeat plays as soon as its 45 minutes are up, which is always the mark of a good record. Certainly, William’s rookie effort is a splendidly nonchalant offering. Outstanding stuff.

Simon Harper

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