First impressions of Esben and the Witch’s Hexagons EP suggest a sort of uniformity: from its geometric title to the numerated parts and wintry afterthoughts that define them. From appearance alone, we could assume that what unfolds is consistent with the haunting atmosphere of Violent Cries or, if we’re lucky, the threatening march of the trio’s earlier material.

Opener ‘Hexagons I (The Fall)’ squarely suggests the former. It’s a subtle piece of music that peddles the spatial tension of January’s debut, swamping the new release in an often predictable sombreness. Some of the tracks are entirely instrumental and, without the pronounced lip of Rachel Davies, they fall short, confined to a restrictive 20-minute EP. This is particularly evident on closer ‘Hexagons VI (The Thaw)’, which seems totally redundant. It has barely enough character to defrost an ice lolly on a hot day, let alone the blistering cool of Esben and the Witch.

‘Hexagons IV (The Still)’ and ‘Hexagons V (The Cast)’ are still unsurprising, but they at least offer the brood and lick Esben and the Witch are notorious for. Shrouded by a brilliantly dramatic piano, they melt into one another effortlessly and make the band’s choice to use a classical suite obvious. The tracks are in-keeping with the premise of Hexagons – sparse and dejected; but they’re also awash in the ghostly whisper of synth and reverberation that unfortunately drowns out what memorable moments are to be had on the EP.

Hopeful thinkers need not fear – there are some surprises on Hexagons, and moments that reflect the more appetising promises Esben and the Witch can offer. A more typical song structure blasts ‘Hexagons II (The Flight)’ into the limelight, a song that even boasts a riff and hook line of, “so wild, so wide, so wild their eyes”. Coupled with the whipped crack of a snare drum and a shift in tempo, it’s the closest Esben and the Witch have yet come to a conventional song. Elsewhere ‘Hexagons III (The Surge)’ is restrained by alarmingly sharp percussion that offsets a calculated cauldron chant. Both songs hint at the intricate composition and taut merit of 33. A lack of structure elsewhere means Hexagons is reliant on their inclusion, though they could be enjoyed without the remainder of the release.

As a whole Hexagons is unlikely to gain Esben and the Witch new fans. In actual fact – the band have barely progressed at all, and this is essentially a reconfirmation of their strengths and weaknesses, fittingly aired at the fringe of winter.