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2007 seems to be a promising year for Youmetheswitch, having already played alongside the likes of Vessels, They Don't Sleep, and the ever-changing collective that are Thee Single Spies. Plus, with a September date supporting LITE, the quartet have quickly become relatively well known. This in itself isn't exactly a mean feat, but with the band having only really released what they're calling an EP/Demo and now more recently an as yet untitled 7", YMTS have quickly but quietly carved their name onto the angular tree that is math rock.

The 7" contains three tracks, none of which are past the three-minute mark. Although this release isn't as meaty as say, early Battles, the effort does contain an aurally pleasant mix of songs that combine The Mercury Program's principles of music making with hints of Do Make Say Think's jazz. Interestingly, elements of what the band call 'the chaotic end of US hardcore' do slip in occasionally, but not enough to warrant any real similarities between YMTS and heavier bands such as Russian Circles.

Opening track, 'Forest Sleeper' is a short and playful piece, where the group's DMST style is at its peak. The second piece, 'Heisei Boom,' starts off brash but soon reverts to a more peaceful set of guitar riffs. Within this composition there's slight use of strings, however the instrumentation is completely clouded over by the much louder guitars, so much so that it's a pointless exercise to even bother including them. However, 'Mexico City is Sinking' is possibly the best of the three and perhaps the most memorable. For this track, the quartet let their time signature tightened hair down, 'Mexico City...' is still a relatively restrained affair, but there's hints within the piece that suggest YMTS could be capable of writing a spasmodic masterpiece someday soon. Again, we're not talking levels of craziness that could give Battles a run for their money, but hopefully YMTS will, in the foreseeable future, step up and deliver a British (so quintessentially, calmer) version of those New York nasties.

Holly Joy Emblem - The Silent Ballet

You Me the Switch are a fantastic 'mathy' instrumental band, comprising two guitars, one bass and some immense drums. What I think sets them apart from many similar bands is their incredibly light use of distortion, bringing it in to add bite and loudness to their tracks, but never in a mad wall-of-noise type affair, done so brilliantly by a band like Mogwai. We still get the dynamic, quiets and the louds but at no point do we lose any of the interaction between the band's instruments and more importantly at no point are we anything less than captivated. Like Shellac this is a band that manage to sound almost identical live and on record, yet still seeing them live is worth making every effort for. So this wonderful little slab of vinyl is the perfect way to get your fix between performances. The cover shows a sort of snowflake design made from flowers and microphone cables wrapped around the torso of a human skeleton, all in blues, pinks and yellows. Instead of the normal paper inner it comes in a neat matt plastic slipcase which adds that bit extra to feel of the packaging, and the two labels mirror the outer sleeve.

It's a 33 1/3 RPM but doesn't say that anywhere, but with four tracks to fit in a side and total running length just over 11 minutes it would be hard to fit them on otherwise. The four short, clever tracks presented will get inside your mind and have you whistling little bits of melody to yourself while you work at whatever 9-5 hell awaits you during the week. I'm not going to attempt to describe these tracks beyond saying each is very much individual and very much cut from the same cloth.

It's released through Faux Discx and Nice Weather for Airstrikes, who are to be commended for bringing us this little package.

Theo Graham-Brown