Thought Leadership - IV Of Cups Thought Leadership

This new collection is closer to the Post-Punk tonality of Pentacles, than the breezy Balearic Jazz of Swords.
Gone are the brushed drum samples and airy synths and in their place are BIG guitars, 808 thumps and a decidedly more prominent use of bass as a melodic device.

Side A explores the emotional levels of consciousness; angst, joy, love, sorrow, relief, regret – they are all represented across the first seven tracks, and often within the same piece.
XXI kicks us off with a huge tumbling D minor passage, layers and layers of guitar front and centre, whilst the drums pound away in the distance.
Release is provided with a gorgeous G Dorian section, where we hear the bass take flight with a
high melodic line.

We’re still in familiar Durutti Column meets Dif Juz territory here, but things switch
up with XXII.
This piece showcases a darker, more angular palette of guitars; think Alan Rankine (The Associates), or Deb Demure (Drab Majesty) in the unexpected harmonic shifts, knotty arpeggiated patterns and heavy, goth-adjacent modulation.
A real love letter to 45+ years of darkly inclined guitar heritage.

Side B again takes us on a trip through three long-form semi-improvised pieces.
XXVIII is like those classic Jonny Nash, early Melody As Truth releases, slowly unfurling, additional details introduced deliberately piece by piece, this idea builds across 7+ minutes culminating in some utterly joyous ebow fireworks at the end – well Balearic.