i appreciate that our readers must hear this sort of sentiment a fair few times, not least about music, but it seems that this newest of demos from the Swedish five-headed noise-pop creature Alter Ego Distort seems something rather special. And, as is also often said gushingly about the most glorious of fresh-faced bands in recent times, they have a touch of the MBV about them - or maybe, at a slight stretch, Ride - all in a quite softly sung and highly distorted (hence the name, presumably) kind of way. So when did you last remember 'gazing?

In terms of displaying their intent, lead track 'break my chain' is a decent enough effort and probably the catchiest here, helped in no small part by the unfeeble opening that's spear-headed by a chiming, strident riff and followed by trembling string arrangements. It's as the next three songs proceed that visions of gems start fabricating. 'like regrets' (perhaps their Caps Lock is broken?) is more soaring and chooses louder, ringing guitars, with an effect potent enough to remind you why people still yearn the days of Creation. It's 'statements galore' that wheels out the blueprint for their well-prepared pop plans, the breathless male vocal swapped for sweet female tones to shout along with, plus a generous helping of tuneful fuzziness. As the slow-burning and bass-heavy 'maribel' kicks in with a muffled sample of spoken interaction, the shimmer and yearning and melancholy of it all has me hooked. Don't be surprised if it does the same to you - it's available to enquire about or partly own in ones-and-zeros form right here.