One of the greatest rock n roll soundbites of all time was of course from Richie “Manic” Edwards. Back in 1991, with the Manic Street Preachers’ stock rising, he twisted the knife into shoegazers Slowdive by declaring he’d always hate them “more than Hitler”. At the time this was incredibly galvanising, the transparency of the quote becoming evident pretty soon after, it’s an action akin to kicking a puppy with a steel toe capped boot – and judging by their own material since 2001’s Know Your Enemy, the Manics seem content with deleting any memories of their long gone vitality.

So it’s ironic that twenty years later, whilst the ‘Preachers settle conformably into the land of nod, Neil Halstead, lead guitarist of the aforementioned Slowdive, could come up with a rock album crammed with such effervescent variety. Halstead – alongside Mark Van Hoen of Locust and Nick Holton of Holten’s Opulent Dog – have got together here in a non-super group kind of way, a super group that doesn’t celebrate itself, to come up with an album of mournful pop played as tripped out psych-gaze

“I Don’t Mean To Wonder” is shoegaze personified, fuzz pedalled driving guitar licks, distant vocals, understated choruses, it’s a classic example of how to look back and forward at the same time – the only thing missing here is a cooing Bilinda Butcher. “This Is How It Feels” could have come from the same mid-nineties pen held by Wayne Coyne, the shuffling anti-funk beat propels the track towards an almost anthemic chorus, and “Oh Crust” is post-rock using antiquated organs to build the track up into a thrilling conclusion.

These songs, and others such as “UFO” are pretty much straight indie tracks, but it’s when they utilise electronics that Stars Are Our Home really comes alive. “Got Your Love” fuses electronic beats with wall of sound guitars to impressive effect but the the three artists works hit the money on the sublime “My Baby Just Sailed Away”. Combining enticing Moroder-influenced throbbing with washes of dreamy synths and swaggering guitar riffs, imagine Ladytron and Miss Kittin on a jam sesh with Martin Gore circa 1990. As the track goes on it twists itself into a doomy sneer whilst getting more intense, and loud guitar scuzz is smeared over the pristine beats, making it even darker. Then the beats break down into a crescendo of synth dysfunction before cranking the guitars back in for one last ‘fuck you’ before it all comes to an end. It’s a shattering example of how, even after all these years, rock still has the ability to create such pandemonium and make it sound so jaw shatteringly brilliant. It’s a must hear track of 2013.

It’s quite telling that Black Hearted Brother is released on the Sonic Cathedral label. Like Slowdive, who needed a progressive, forward thinking imprint like Creation, Sonic Cathedral regularly prove they’re the only label worthy a true comparison (1988 to 1992 era only, obviously).