It’s easy to see why The Go! Team are so loved. Ian Parton and co make music that could bring a smile to the straightest of faces, and with ‘Semicircle’ they repeat the trick. Here their focus is on the Motor City, with Parton expanding the enterprise once again to include the Sam Dook, Ninja and the Detroit Youth Choir. There is plenty of energy and bluster around the best tracks here – ‘She’s Got Guns’ possesses a great chorus and fat beat reminiscent of Brighton in the mid-1990s, while ‘Semicircle Song’ has charming, cutesy vocals and big horns. The music is instantly recognisable as theirs – quite an achievement – and while it might not feel like The Go! Team deviate particularly far from their original blueprint, ‘Semicircle’ shows a versatility that can take in a bit more soul and the odd moment of surprising tenderness. Guaranteed to give you a lift as they always do.
Ben Hogwood
3 out of 5
