Sweden's Hater are back with their first record in four years. Mosquito follows up the kind of mid-tempo charm that anchored Sincere. And it is another in a string of great albums from this outfit.
Opener "Landslide" has a nice Yo La Tengo-y amble about it, with Caroline Landahl's vocals being the thing that powers the song, while "Angel Cupid" is a little more downbeat but no less affecting. "This Guy?" is a highlight here on Mosquito for me. On this one the rhythm section nearly bounces, and the track has a nice energy that sets it apart from the usual Hater material. Of course, Landahl's vocals are excellent too, even with the modest change in style.
When Hater came around they reminded me a bit of Bettie Serveert, another Scandinavian band. But over time, Hater has seemed more focused in their approach. The tempos are relaxed at times, but Mosquito provides enough modest variety in mood to only strengthen the group's appeal. The superb "Brighter", to use one example, buzzes with the kind of pop energy that is really endearing. There are a bunch of cuts here like that, enough to prove that Hater are still crafting really essential stuff.
Mosquito by Hater will be out on Friday via Fire Records. Details via Bandcamp below.
[Photo: David Möller]