Couple In A Hole suggests Beak> are creeping ever closer to their own singular sound

You might well imagine that we're, er, listening to a German film of 70's vintage, too. Much has been written of Portishead operator Geoff Barrow's other band's fondness of what's still generally referred to with the gleefully un-PC handle Krautrock. For a reason, too: much of the unstoppable "Backwell", for example, sounds like the groove of Can's "Mother Sky" on eternal repeat. Elsewhere, the likes of "I Know" resemble a loping, rubbery, caffeinated and somewhat spooky take on Neu!'s 'motorik' grooves. Which is obviously a very good thing.

But there's more to this film-accompanying collection from the Bristol trio than just cruising down the oft-visited Autobahn. The slow-burning, majestic "Battery Point" dips into the classic post rock toolkit to better evoke the themes of sadness and isolation at the centre of Tom Geens's acclaimed film about a middle-aged couple who reject civilization to live in a secluded cave. Elsewhere, asthmatic organs and muttered vocals that keep popping up give the distinct impression that the cave the film's titular couple resides in could well we populated with bats with very bad intentions, whilst a few brief mood pieces remind us that we're in fact listening to a soundtrack recording rather than a set of stand-alone songs.

A soundtrack that's easily compelling enough to prosper as a separate entity from the images it's intended for, Couple In A Hole OST backs up brilliant recent single "The Meader" in suggesting that Beak> are moving further towards their own singular sound and away from simply reimagining classic moves from their favourite records.