Wild Fleet

Manchester duo Gymnast’s new album is a vocal and literary treasure. Cathy Wilcock and Chris Lyon make music that is vocally strong yet beautifully fragile. The duo play with a rare delicacy in irresistibly melancholic and atmospheric moods, effortlessly mixing gauzy electronic beats with an orchestral modernism that naturally occupies that intangible state between classical and pop.

Leading tracks ‘Leander’ and ‘Geneva’ have already made their debut to a favourable response and have been praised by radio presenters and press alike. ‘Sleeper’ and ‘Siren’ are both graceful and elegant, with Chris adding vocals for perfect harmonisation reminiscent of Wild Beasts and Thom Yorke. But sweeping generalisation does not do this pair justice. Every song is deliciously rich and elegantly executed, with its powerful dual vocal work providing a unique sound in an experimental genre. Gymnast are, as their name suggests, lyrically and musically agile and articulate.

Becki Clarke