Heroes to Zeros

Scotland's Beta Band made their name at the tail end of the 1990s by mixing contemporary electronic production techniques with '60s/'70s prog/psych influences and utilizing an inclusive and eclectic post-Beck aesthetic. Three albums in, they're still mixing and matching like drug-addled patchwork quilters; funky synth bass rubs up against Beach Boys-like harmonies and jangling Britpop guitars, while a penchant for sonic experimentalism nestles with surprising ease alongside more conventional songwriting values. Despite the gloriously hither-and-yon approach, though, there's more of a consistent and substantive feel on HEROES TO ZEROS than could be found on its predecessor, HOT SHOTS II, boding well for the group's longevity.