Shoegaze is another of those genres where we need to question if a revival is required. Much like britpop, it has its detractors and supporters. For every great exponent such as My Bloody Valentine or Slow Dive, they were ten rubbish imitators (hello Secret Shine). After last year’s single Anywhere, Elastic Sleep would have been pigeon-holed (rightly or wrongly) as shoegaze.

Hot on the heels of the superb cover of Nancy Sinatra’s You Only Live Twice, comes the ‘Leave You’ EP. What’s pleasing to see here is how the band is progressing. What is on display on the ‘Leave You’ EP is the sound of a band growing beyond that initial label into something much more expansive.

While their initial releases were propelled by the shimmering vocals of Muireann Levis over waves of dream like guitar, Elastic Sleep display greater depth over the course of this EP. One of the key differing components from previous releases is that Chris Somers takes on lead vocals for a couple of tracks. I Found Love starts with Ruairi Dale’s claustrophobic bass and Somers’ effects laden vocals reek of desperation when he sings “waking on a bed of nails” before Levis joins in with banshee-like backing vocals.

It’s a shoegaze cocktail that’s been spiked with acid. Somers continues singing lead on Tzar Bomba (No More Tears) which is riveting in its intensity. It’s muscular and dense lead guitar from Chris Somers’ guitar takes a hint of Kevin Shields but adds extra verve which threatens to spill over.

These pulverising songs contrast with the more languid efforts where Levis takes lead vocals. Splish harks to distant hazy memories of simpler times during childhood. Its gorgeous drifting vocals evoke lost summer days and while Deep And Blue is similar vocally, it musically shifts in mood and atmosphere capturing your attention. In particular the crashing cymbals during the chorus and towards the end of the song provide that extra layer that hooks the listener.

Lead single Leave You is probably the most immediately likeable song they’ve produced so far, while Stay is a lo-fi melancholy lament with a gentle strumming guitar. It’s pacing and use of instruments offers a window into the boundaries that Elastic Sleep are exploring.

This is a quite brilliant EP that announces Elastic Sleep as the real deal. There are a number of Irish acts who seem ready made to make that leap of success beyond these shores and there appears to be little to stop Elastic Sleep jumping to the front of the queue.