Kid Kapichi have slimmed down to a two-piece, and become darker, moodier, and more cinematic and Fearless Nature plays like a Guy Ritchie film, with a late-night gangsterish sound that’s sharp and observant. Jack Wilson’s way with words cannot be overstated, as the opener Leader of the Free World stacks clichés, idioms, everyday common slang and pub talk phrases and layers them into something far more evocative. Beat poetry disguised as indie rock, you almost forget he’s singing pitch perfect because the focus is so firmly on the clever tapestry of words.

Intervention is a massive banger driven by a huge drum line and a swaggering pulse that carries Kasabian’s energy with The Prodigy’s bite and snarl baked into the groove. Shoe Size rumbles with a thick bass undercurrent like a tough, dark Soft Play cut and Stainless Steel grooves hard as it questions the myth of ego, sounding tough as it interrogates toughness. Worst Kept Secret soars with huge strings and a massive chorus with the grandeur of Urban Hymns, and Dark Days Are Coming returns to that nocturnal, criminal atmosphere. After all the shadow and grit, Rabbit Hole closes the record on a surprisingly thankful note and what makes Fearless Nature so compelling is that it’s absolutely rooted in the British indie tradition, but with a distinct slant that places the lyrics as front and centre as they were on Original Pirate Material, becoming much more about the observations than the riffs. Living in a fascinating grey area, it’s not always easy to pin down a linear story but phrases land with startling clarity and somehow hit deeper. Kid Kapichi don’t feel like a scrappy indie band anymore, and instead feel controlled and purposeful, and even when the album sounds tough and macho there’s thoughtful vulnerability and emotional grace. Fearless Nature is an impressive evolution that’s dark, streetwise, and triumphant.