New Young Pony Club are a four-piece dance/punk band from London, who formed in 2005 after singer Tahita Bulmer and guitarist/producer Andy Spence were introduced and discovered a mutual love of dance and punk music. Their debut album was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize in 2007, as well as winning other awards and being highly acclaimed by the British music press. 'The Optimist' is a darker, heavier affair than their previous work, and is a move away from the sound of their debut.

Mar 2010

Forget everything you thought you knew about New Young Pony Club because on their second album it's all changed. If 2007's critically acclaimed, Mercury Music Prize nominated 'Fantastic Playroom' was the culmination of the hybrid disco sound they pioneered, 'The Optimist' heralds the beginning of a brave new future for the band.

Self-produced and more importantly self-funded and self-released, 'The Optimist' is the sound of a band taking full control of their present and future, circumnavigating their own way. With no four on the floor, no cowbell and no monotone sexy talk, the creative freedom enjoyed by the band has opened up a new experimental side, as shown by the psychedelic-dub- balladry of 'Stone' and the atmospheric, cracked beauty of 'Architect Of Love', and the singles 'Lost A Girl', 'Chaos' and soon-to-be-huge 'We Want To'.

It's an assured, deliciously adventurous next step for New Young Pony Club, open your ears and have a listen.

• Clash - "[With] heady synth and bass drives that delve deep into emotional territories....The tricky second album phase has been completed and it's an excellent product."