Wild Beasts

When frontman Hayden Thorpe swoops up to his highest, most histrionic notes, Wild Beasts announce their kinship to long-gone Scottish new wave band the Associates, but there's far more to the Lake District outfit's sound — and to Thorpe's voice, for that matter — than one begging comparison can possibly illustrate. Those who know about men with remarkable vocal skills have confirmed that we're in the presence of a young talent who can blend high-tenor with counter-tenor (no mean feat, apparently), which certainly makes all these tracks distinctive, even when Thorpe is merely whooping away behind guitarist Tom Fleming, who steps up to the mic for second-album standout "All the King's Men". The camp, boisterous madness of "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants" is a rabble-rousing highlight on 2008 debut Limbo, Panto, while 2011's Smother signals a fascinating flirtation with electronica: check out "Lion's Share" and "Albatross".