Once again the French oi! scene shows why it\’s been at the top of the game for a few years now, and with releases such as this debut EP from Paris band Cran, and the new Lion\’s Law album due to drop soon, there\’s no danger of them losing that crown. Cran is an interesting proposition that really pushes the boundaries of the genre. Musically they have that haunting post-punk sound that bands like Kontstadt or Syndrome 81 also deliver.

Think simple guitar melodies dripping with reverb that at times wouldn\’t sound out of place on a Joy Division song. Add to that some shouted female vocals – two songs sung in French and one in English – and you end up with an almost anarcho-punk vibe, especially on the English language \”HYMTM\”. A really promising debut record, look out for this one! Tom Chapman