Some albums demand your attention while others completely consume it and Back Into The Womb, the second full-length release from Sans Froid, belongs firmly in the latter category.
The Bristol-based collective have spent more than a decade carving out reputations across the UK underground through projects such as Chiyoda Ku, Echidna and Ogives Big Band, all of which were bloody excellent in their own right but when they came together as Sans Froid, something genuinely special was born and the result is a band that feels impossible to pin down but in the best possible way. They’re bold, adventurous, and gloriously resistant to categorisation, Back Into The Womb constantly shape-shifts, pulling threads from jazz, folk, progressive rock, art rock and countless other influences to create something entirely its own. Every listen reveals a fresh detail, a hidden flourish, or a left turn you somehow missed the first time around.
Beneath the album’s kaleidoscopic surface runs a subtle thematic thread exploring patriarchal structures, personal conflict, and the challenge of navigating an increasingly fractured world. These ideas weren’t consciously imposed on the songs but emerged naturally as the record took shape, giving the album a quiet sense of cohesion amidst all its musical unpredictability.
Opening track ‘Go On’ explodes into life with driving rhythms, jagged guitar lines and a commanding vocal performance from Aisling. It sets the tone immediately, this is an album with no intention of standing still. ‘Pros and Constants’ shifts into darker territory, beginning with delicate restraint before unfolding into an eccentric, theatrical art-rock adventure. ‘Still Thinking’ showcases the band’s remarkable chemistry, with Aisling and Toby sharing vocal duties while Toby’s intricate drumming keeps everything moving with restless energy. Ben Harris and Toby Green lock together to form a formidable rhythm section, creating the perfect platform for Aisling’s melodic explorations while Charles Barnes paints the edges with expansive guitar textures.
The title track, ‘Back Into The Womb’, initially flirts with the grandeur and atmosphere of Radiohead before heading somewhere far stranger and more fascinating. Twisting through multiple moods and transformations, it perfectly captures the album’s balancing act between darkness and celebration, complexity and accessibility. There is so much happening here that repeat listens are a must!
Elsewhere ‘Sorbet’ leans heavily into jazz territory, placing piano and vocals centre stage against understated electronic percussion. ‘Menorabilia’ may well be the album’s most adventurous excursion, a treasure trove for prog enthusiasts, while ‘Of The Mother’ delivers one of the record’s most emotionally powerful moments, infused with an almost Nordic folk-like beauty.
‘Bags Packed’ introduces lush vocal harmonies that gently tip their hat to classic 1960s pop without ever slipping into nostalgia. Then comes ‘The Exploiter of Art’, which wastes absolutely no time kicking the album back into high gear. Already a standout in the band’s live performances, it emerges here as one of the record’s defining moments. A groove-heavy bassline, inventive vocal arrangements and exceptional musicianship combine to create something genuinely exhilarating. Tobys drum fills alone deserve special mention here cos their absolutley phenomenal and really elevate the track.
Closing track ‘Thorns’ arrives cloaked in a brooding atmosphere, its haunting piano motifs and spectral vocals providing the perfect finale to an album built on contrast, tension and surprise. It feels less like an ending and more like the final scene of a strange and beautiful dream.
What makes Back Into The Womb so impressive is that despite its diversity, nothing feels random or unnecessary. Every stylistic detour serves a purpose, every unexpected twist contributes to the bigger picture. It is ambitious without becoming self-indulgent, experimental without sacrificing emotional impact, and absolutely overflowing with ideas. Sans Froid have created something genuinely distinctive here and we hope they get the attention they deserve of the back of this album. Go stick it on repeat when it comes out this Friday!