For their sophomore set, Melbourne three-piece the Sinking Citizenship have cleaned up their sound somewhat, yet lost none of the tightness inherent in their debut Broadcasting Germs. The influences from Shellac to Joy Division to Wire are still apparent, but like Chairs Missing this is the next obvious step in the band’s evolution.

Delete Then Repeat kicks off with the rolling bass of “Activity”, and it’s immediately clear that the Sinking Citizenship have benefited enormously from their roadwork – since their debut came out, they’ve toured the UK and Europe. Delete Then Repeat is filled with clashing guitars and wicked rhythms; it’s not an entirely comfortable sound, but it’s not meant to be; this is music made with serrated edges.

“My Alibi” is the first cohesive moment, and the most likely choice for a track that, just maybe, might get the Sinking Citizenship some radio play on the likes of Triple J. What strikes most about the Sinking Citizenship is how expertly they use tension and release – the closing two tracks, “Be My Armour” and “Untitled Persons Alert”, in particular utilise light and shade to explore further dynamics. The former is a slow mover, but the latter is a rip-snorter of passive aggression.

The Sinking Citizenship are one of several acts from Melbourne to have taken the post-punk sound and merged it with post-rock ideals. It’s an intriguing collision of sounds, and cuts like “Repeat the Delete” are musically intriguing and strongly delivered, with saxophones and flutes drifting into the mix. This is the sort of band who, you would think, will continue to refine their sound with each release, and simply get better with each turn.