It's almost trite to point out that Intergalactic Lovers have been on a journey, but - in literally every sense - they have. The Belgian band have travelled a long way, departing the dilapidated former factory building they use as a base to release two crisply superb albums and play shows in every corner of Europe and beyond.
New album 'Exhale', however, raises the bar once more. It's the sound of a band resolutely coming into their own. Clipped electro-rock in the vein of Interpol, The Cure, or Yeah Yeah Yeahs, it's punchy and concise, yet also incredibly open.
"Every album we've always moved up a step because as you're older you evolve and what happens in your world changes," explains Lara Chedraoui. "We're friends, we're family, and the farther you travel it inspires you to write different things as well."
Recorded in two English studios - The Chairworks in Leeds and Vale Studios in Worcestershire - 'Exhale' was steered by Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Dashboard Confessional) and mastered by Ted Jensen.
"I was pretty intimidated at first," Lara explains. "Gil works with so many bands and we were this little band from Flanders trying to prove to him that we're even bigger than any name he's ever worked with."
"The studio is one of the most confrontational places to be because you can hear every note and that can make you insecure in a way," Lara reveals. "We wanted more from this record."
And they've certainly succeeded. 'Exhale' sounds like PJ Harvey at her most seductive, Feist at her most barbed. 'Talk! Talk!' feels like Blondie's cynical cousin, 'Ego Wars' is a rousing depiction of a faltering relationship, while 'Fears' is an anthem that feels almost tailor-made for arenas.
New single 'Between The Lines' is out on June 2nd, and it's a fantastic example of what to expect: barbed songwriting with a personal touch, it's everything Intergalactic Lovers have promised to do condensed into three minutes of biting, emphatic, coruscating music.
"It's what goes on in my head and it has to come out," explains singer Lara Chedraoui. "It's that or I beat up people. So I decided I'm going to write songs - it's cathartic because it helps me get rid of anger or sorrow."
So how far can Intergalactic Lovers travel? Lara smiles: "World domination is on my list. I've put the bar there."
