Low frequency grumbling and rumbling reinforces a cathartic kosmische charge. A composition covered in Phil Spector-esque sparkle and switchblade-wielding `60s girl group glamour. Singing in English and speaking French, this collaboration between vocalist Raven and David Holmes – Hope Is The Last Thing To Die – can’t help but draw comparisons to lovely musically likeminded souls The Liminanas. Drum rolls and beefy backwards bits carry a synthetic symphony, sprinkled with Joe Meek magic, Moog-manufactured theremin figures, Telstar ticks and licks. Extended, the music mutates into a lurching, unstoppable, dance floor leviathan.

Remixed, first by fellow veteran Belfast-born producer, Timmy Stewart – who two decades ago also reworked David’s seminal 69 Police – the track becomes a brilliant break-bolstered flashback to the barmy hedonism of the original Heavenly Social – sirens sounding, big block rocking beats, Jon Carter, Richard Fearless, The Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream`s Scream Team DJing at Disgracelands. A rock n roll bastardization of balearic, acid house`s new punk energy. 

Daniel Avery’s reconstruction is a gradual re-build. Starting from 4 / 4 foundations, step-by-step adding sinister sci-fi synths, scything snares, gated ghosts of Raven`s vocal, until you’re surrounded by a sophisticated peak time main room banger. Acidic bass belches occasionally hijacking its hardwired hypnotherapy. 

The occult DIE HEXEN, together with Northern Ireland artist Ruth Bate, dish out a hit of heavy novo industrial. A militant machine march, ringing and stamping like drills and steel forge drop hammers. Drenched in devastating, disorientating doses of delay, raising a wall of uncompromising, uplifting noise. 

Demanding to be played loud – where possible set your volume control to “23”, and go looking for that exit – lyrically, Hope… is a melodic invocation of incendiary insurrection, the spirit of Paris May `68, rather than soixante-neuf. A song about breaking fevers, creating paradises, solidarity and unity, sick of self-serving, state-sanctioned skullduggery – barefaced lies and pocket-lining profiteering – it`s in their interests to have us divided. A message matched, made clear, underlined by the single`s Miner`s Strike-like artwork, and ace accompanying psychedelic Situationist video. If only it were a film, then we could slash the seats, tear the fucking theatre down. 

David Holmes` Hope Is The Last Thing To Die can be ordered directly from Heavenly Recordings. 

*As an aside, I’ve been rewatching all of Daniel Craig`s 007 movies, prepping myself for No Time To Die….it got me thinking that the pairing of Mr. Holmes and Lady Blackbird would be Bond theme heaven.