Pigeonholed by critics into genres as questionable as ‘nightmare pop’ and ‘witch house’, Brighton trio Esben and the Witch, one of the BBC’s ‘Sound of 2011’ picks, have been trumpeted as trailblazers for a new subversive and gothic sound. Their name, a reference to a sinister Danish fairytale, and their self proclaimed feelings of affinity with darkness, death, and catacombs make obvious the ghoulish image they wish to cultivate. Unfortunately their new EP Hexagons isn’t especially unsettling, haunting or revolutionary. Instead it shows a tendency to rely on hackneyed Goth pop lyrical clichés and overly reserved, self conscious musical backing that veers towards uninteresting- disappointing on what is on occasion a sophisticated, well crafted and innovative album.

The band intended the record to be ‘structured…deliberate’, and this is one of Hexagons's strengths; the tracks seamlessly melt into one another, conjuring an otherworldly, gloomy ambience that lingers. Hypnotic, soft guitar backing provides an unimposing canvas for Laura Davies’ gorgeous and ghostly vocals, which veer from touching vulnerability on ‘The Still’ to commanding and assured on ‘The Surge’. These are the standout tracks; the latter, a Portishead’s ‘Machine Gun’ esque piece, is genuinely menacing; the former, an emotionally charged, eerie track is heavy with melancholy and longing. It is at these moments, when the performances are less controlled and more heartfelt, that they become most engaging and potent. The closing track ‘The Thaw’ is the album’s weakest, an instantly forgettable piece ending the album amidst a fuzz of lackluster guitar.

Ebsen and the Witch lack the threatening, sinister menace of Salem and the experimentation of Cocteau Twins- with whom they have been compared. They have though produced a flowing, vocally exquisite album, and, from the occasional flashes of brilliance, it would seem they have the potential to produce something more interesting should they choose to shed the unnecessary horror gambit and take a few risks.