Bright Works describe their sound as mafrobeat… hmm, quite. Despite my initial misgivings, the first track is so blooming ace that all thoughts of a brutal pen-bashing are swiftly forgotten. ‘Houses’ leads the way on the EP with an angular, bouncy, slightly ramshackle rhythm, offset with a clever, distinctive vocal and keyboard/synth melody.

Second track ‘Brammatism’ scampers off to bathe in a kind of rhythmically-The-Slits-circa-Cut-meets-vocally-The-Cure loose-limbed reggae-ish, afropop groove… tracks three and four, whilst a slight dip in quality, are still leftfield and quirky, with enough good ideas to maintain the interest.

The EP closes with Sebastian Reynolds’ remix of ‘Houses’, which meanders along in a deep, ambient fashion – although okay in its own right, it’s perhaps a bit of a missed opportunity to do something a little more interesting with such a strong track.

Still, the Explorers EP is sticky, addictive and laconic pop that thrusts one towards the tropics with one skanking foot firmly on western dancefloors. Mafrobeat it is, then.

Find out more at the Bright Works website.