Valhalla Dancehall

British Sea Power’s Valhalla Dancehall is a restless, sprawling record that veers between thunderous indie rock, eccentric pop and reflective melancholy. “Who’s in Control” charges forward with political frustration, while “Stunde Null” and “Mongk II” supply propulsive thrills. The epic “Once More Now” slows everything into a hypnotic, atmospheric drift, revealing the album’s thoughtful heart. Its unevenness is partly the point: this is a band following every strange impulse, sometimes sacrificing cohesion for excitement. Messy, ambitious and defiantly individual, Valhalla Dancehall lacks the consistency of their finest work, but its peaks are exhilarating and its spirit remains impossible to resist.