Formed from the ashes of the epic, Lamacq-endorsed 21gunsalute, South Shields sextet Minotaurs have shed the space-rock vibe and are going directly for your pop jugulars, as self-assured as their mythological namesake, albeit with none of the bloodshed. With Demonstration #1, Minotaurs pitch themselves firmly between their influences, taking different elements of each yet ultimately unswayed by any of them.

Opener ‘Anyone Who Had A Heart’, the most intricately-arranged track on this three song demo, sees the intergender vocal pairing of Sarah Farrell and Andrew Forster trade harmonies like Captain as the rest of the band tap their toes to Black’s ‘Wonderful Life’ before the verse, sounding much like The Smiths, blossoms into an Arcade Fire singalong chorus. On the first listen it’s passable, on the second it is hummable and from then on, it sinks its soft claws into your cerebrum, as infectious and persistent as Forster's Tyneside accent is thick.

The other tracks, in the same vein, may not quite be able to match the arrangement of the first, but with music so infectious and persistent, these Minotaurs could go easily go beyond what they achieved in their musical past lives. Single-minded, sparkly boy-girl guitar pop coated in a sugary, positive glow is all it may currently be, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t sever your heartstrings within minutes of first contact.