London - and Berlin - based quartet Let Spin return with I Am Alien, their fifth album and first release with UK label Discus, marking a new chapter in the band’s evolution. Building on the momentum of 2022’s Thick As Thieves, the record is a continuous, shape-shifting work that thrives on tension and risk, collapsing the boundary between composition and improvisation while distilling over a decade of shared history into a fiercely unified listening experience.
Over more than 13 years of playing together, Let Spin have forged a distinctive group identity rooted in the constant negotiation between composition and improvisation. That longevity has created an instinctive musical understanding, allowing the band to move seamlessly between tightly constructed material and open, high-risk exploration. A key feature of I Am Alien is its continuous, uninterrupted structure. Each track flows directly into the next, mirroring the way Let Spin perform on stage and extending a format first explored on Thick As Thieves. The album unfolds not as a collection of discrete pieces, but as a single evolving arc — immersive, physical and relentlessly forward-moving — designed to be experienced in one sustained stretch rather than broken into parts.
The record also marks a significant expansion of Let Spin’s sonic palette. Saxophonist Chris Williams adds baritone saxophone and flute to his alto work, while bassist Ruth Goller’s voice is woven into the album’s immersive textures and comes to the fore as the featured lead on drummer Finlay Panter’s If You See a Dragon, Don’t Be Scared. Moss Freed’s effects-heavy electric and baritone guitars, combined with extensive FX use across saxophone and bass, create a sound that is dense, volatile and physical — broadening the band’s expressive range without sacrificing its core intensity.
All four members contribute compositions to I Am Alien, reinforcing the band’s deeply collaborative ethos. Freed, Williams, Goller and Panter bring distinct voices to the writing, unified by a shared language honed through years of playing together. The result is music that feels both expansive and cohesive — adventurous yet grounded in a clearly defined identity. It’s a record that refuses easy categorisation, moving fluidly between experimental music and contemporary jazz without settling comfortably in either. Crucially, I Am Alien captures the physical impact of Let Spin’s live performances more directly than any previous release, cementing their status as one of the most distinctive and forward-thinking ensembles to emerge from the UK scene.
