***Kiev’s BICHKRAFT return with 800, another entry in their unique take on the shoegaze and post-punk traditions. After refining their approach on their two previous albums, they exude overwhelming confidence on each track of their new LP. And while the band’s penchant for devolving into noisy experimentation remains throughout, it doesn’t take many listens to recognize the album’s strong execution. For it is the songs, coupled with the nervous energy behind them, that propel 800 forward more than anything else. With CARSON COX of Merchandise handling production, Bichkraft’s dense riffage and thumping drum machines are brought to the forefront with greater clarity than ever before. This is not to say that the band ceases to be weird in the most compelling ways. The prevailing mood on 800, however, continues to be a kind of melancholy reminiscent of the romanticism in '80s new wave, cemented by JENIA BICHOWSKI's punchy vocal delivery and impressionistic lyrics.