The brainchild of Wellington-based musician and writer Dave Currie, You Barbarians combine angular drop-tuning riffs and pulverizing drums underneath a Morrissey-esque croon. Bringing to mind alt rock bands like I Am Giant with the stoner groove of Open Hand, this debut EP sounds more like a band with a few full length albums under their belt. Currie plays bass and takes lead vocals, with Rhys Telford on drums, Jessica Aaltomen‘s violin and Kevin Currie playing horns. Clocking in at just under 25 minutes it’s a short listen, but one that covers a large array of moods and textures. There are mellow moments – Northern Suburbs with its yearning violin pulls the track into more emotive territory – while down-tempo closer World’s Own Eyes ups the suspense levels. Chaotic yet often beautiful, ‘Helioshiva’ is anything but a record of opposites, its dynamic instead being one of its biggest strengths, and testament to Currie’s songwriting skill. Recorded at STL Studios in Wellington by Currie himself, with guitars recorded long distance by Brian James Wanders in New York, mixing and mastering by Dave Currie and TKO at STL. Though Currie’s voice is an obvious weakness, the oft out-of-tune wanderings also make it one of the album’s strengths. Bringing a broken-hearted human element to otherwise hard driving alt rock might not be anything new, but ‘Helioshiva’ certainly does its best to add something to the formula.