Album: Surf City, Kudos (Fire)

The Jesus and Mary Chain-derived band name is an indication of the sound of Kudos, which features booming indie drones drenched in effects; but it's the infectious melodic sense of fellow New Zealanders The Chills that comes through most strongly on songs such as "Crazy Rulers of the World" and "See How the Sun", with their blend of primitive pop smarts, keening vocals and ringing drone guitars.

There's a fruitful balance throughout the album between the childlike innocence of the band's tunes, and the dense, swirling vortices of the arrangements carrying them – part Velvets grind, part Neu! motorik – which renders tracks like "Icy Lakes", "Yakuza Park" and "In Times of Approach" ruggedly enjoyable. All they need to do now is find the right balance to make the vocals legible, and they could rule the world.

DOWNLOAD THIS Crazy Rulers of the World; Yakuza Park; Icy Lakes