Jamie Hince broke his finger and thought he would never play the guitar again. He also rode the Trans-Siberian Express, which helped him pen “Siberian Nights,” a heartfelt homoerotic fantasy number written from the viewpoint of… Vladimir Putin. Alison Mosshart relocated to Nashville, and in-between recording with Jack White as The Dead Weather, she held her first solo exhibition, which featured `17 paintings, drawings, mixed media, and tapestries. Ash & Ice, the indie rock duo’s 5th, comes at the tail end of aforementioned events, and the two deliver an album that only their 16-years-strong, duality-driven chemistry could cook up. Electronic elements play a slightly larger role in the album, but electrifying guitar riffs (Hince was able to recover, sans one finger, after many surgeries), pre-programmed rhythms, and Mosshart’s sultry vocals are still at the core of songs like “Heart of a Dog,” “Bitter Fruit,” “Doing it to Death,” and “Black Tar.” One of the strongest moments on Ash & Ice, however, is a bare-bones piano number that is more emotionally open, a detour from earlier works that were defined by “an air of detachment, an emotional austerity.” Other songs to check out are “Let It Drop” and “Echo Home.” This is the indie-exclusive version of the album, which includes 2 fold-out posters, 2 printed inner sleeves, and a digital download card.

• limited Indie Exclusive edition
• double colored pink & blue vinyl
• two fold-out posters
• digital download included
• music label: Domino 2016

reviewed by donut savage 06/2016