Named after a footnote in a book (The Importance Of Being Idle by Stephen Robins), Dublin’s Sleep Thieves have been on the local music scene for several years. ‘You Want The Night’ is a big leap forward from their previous album ‘Heart Waves’ and at the same time further expands on the promise of the ‘Islands’ EP. The latter heralded the change in sound which has sent Sleep Thieves on their current trajectory.

It’s no accident that Minty Fresh Records saw the potential of their new sound and signed them up. ‘You Want The Night’ opens impressively with the brooding City Of Hearts which is full of futuristic deep sounding synth. But it’s the title track that best epitomizes Sleep Thieves’ sound, where the heavily digitised vocals of Wayne Fahy provide an insidious aura in contrast to Sorcha Brennan’s breathless vocals which add a layer of mystique to proceedings.

It enhances an already cinematic vision where shadowy and misty synths hark of sinister figures peering back in dimly lit areas. It would be a one dimensional album if all the songs were in this vein. Sleep Thieves are savvy enough to realise that and the air of dread is punctured by the glimmering disco noir of Sparks which out-Grimes Grimes. One track on the album Oceans was previously released on the Islands EP and it still retains its dark allure and still sounds as fresh as it did two years ago.

The second half of the album is less immediate than the first half but isn’t any less rewarding. From the slow simmering-to-a-boil of Through A Sea, to the fragile Ishimura, the subtle shifting tone keeps it fresh. For those waiting for the next Ladytron album, this effort from Sleep thieves will more than fill the gap. ‘You Want The Night’ is a deep dark-hearted album which will stand among the finest of any Irish band in 2014.