2: 54

2: 54

This self-titled debut from the London duo of sisters Hannah and Colette Thurlow is built from gently barbed guitars that stretch and flex behind the sisters’ airy vocals and a solid, sparse percussive backbone. There’s nothing extra here, nothing unnecessary or superfluous. It’s a simple formula they’ve winnowed down after experimenting with more punk-inflected sounds. The haunted guitar twilight on “Revolving” dimly illuminates the tune's goth undertones until a raft of shimmering higher notes cascades in; it’s a good sign of what’s to come. A mellowed blend of shoegaze, post-punk, and The xx–style melancholia colors the collection. 2:54 masters the curious skill of taming sounds that could be more aggressive in other arenas, rendering them downright hypnotic and lulling. The sisters have reportedly said that their band name is derived from a specific moment in a Melvins song, though their guitar work often takes on the clamorous (but muted) tones of Wire, whose seminal early releases such as 154 so clearly influenced many current artists.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada