French men-of-mystery Polar Inertia describe themselves as a “blurry techno entity”. They’re at their shape-shifting best on Kinematic Optics, a double vinyl excursion that contains their first original material since 2012. They set their stall out with the foreboding, cinematic ambience of the title track (built, incidentally, around an extensive spoken word vocal), before delivering an epic chunk of rolling industrial techno (“Floating Away Fire”). There’s a mournful, melancholic feel to the deep techno throbber “Vertical Ice”, while “Hell Frozen Over” is fittingly dark and murky. The second 12″ contains a recording of previous live performance “Can We See Well Enough To Move On?” in its entirety, with droning textures and glacial electronics guaranteeing a spine-chilling mood.

listen