Having already made an initial underground mark in New Zealand with their band Nocturnal Projections, Graeme and Peter Jefferies rebooted themselves a bit with the debut This Kind of Punishment album, keeping the postpunk mood of their earlier work but adding the kind of flowing, strange beauty that defined their future work. Piano taking a central place on many of the songs helped the music stand out all the more – perhaps unsurprisingly “Instrumental” showcases this well – while the uneasy, sometimes strained vocals add to the atmosphere.

– Ned Raggett