Known for taut country-punk riffs that resolve into big-bore anthemic Britrock, these children of the highlands switch up unexpectedly for their fourth album. Embracing a gothy vibe, they empty spaces where guitars used to churn and emphasize large, spare beats, courtesy of producer J.D. Twitch from DJ outfit Optimo. The weird miracle is how natural singers Scott Paterson and Adele Bethel sound harmonizing (well, singing together) over subdermal synth buzz. On the menacing “Silver Spell” and pulsing, staticky “Ink Free,” it’s as if they’d been ghosts in the machines all along.
