The Dodos are a long-running American two-piece, praised for their innovative arrangements and daring sound. Ten years on from their breakthrough second album Visiter, the band are releasing album number seven: Certainty Waves – their self-described “midlife crisis record.”

The album opens with the first single Forum and IF, each track a beautiful combination of ferocity and elegance with the latter song boasting a groove that’ll shake a loose hip from its socket. The midlife crisis tag is hard to subscribe to when this track is musically the opposite of a Dad Dance – edgy and original. A definite highlight on the album.

The band’s ability to leave a humble impression while feeding the listener with wild drum beats, interesting time signatures and impressive guitar playing is to be commended. There’s a certain charisma throughout the record that holds everything in place. Within the sea of mathy and groovy flourishes there are still plenty of chilled moments. The acoustic lament Centre of is a beautiful decompress from the gritty openers. Sort of is the perfect indie love song and has the band at its simplest, with the Beach Boys-esque repeated line “I could wait for heaven / and I could also hold you.” While hopping from ballad to blowout the band still retain their peculiar sound and nothing feels out of place.

The Dodos are getting old in the game now with record number seven. If albums are like dog years, this puts the American duo on the wrong side of 40. Album ageism aside this is a fantastic record. It’s loud, avant-garde, intelligent and fun. It’s like a very sophisticated party, but unlike a real sophisticated party you can actually have the craic.