There have been a string of great releases on Cath Roberts and Dee Byrne’s Luminous label of late, and this debut from Favourite Animals is no exception. The group is a supersized version of Roberts’ Sloth Racket quintet (a mega sloth, if you will) and their approach is similarly gritty and anarchic. The expanded line-up allows Roberts to play with a greater variety of textures and colours, which she uses to good effect. ‘Confirm or Deny’, the schizophrenic opener, juxtaposes a thrashing rock hook with freely improvised flutters and a demented dawn chorus of flutes. ‘Boiling Point’ is more orchestral, with a noirish, subtly funky bassline, swells from the horns and a poignant trumpet melody that echoes around the ensemble before dying away. ‘Off-world’ and ‘Unspeakable’ are sparse and atmospheric. The latter brings hazy ambience and skeins of phosphorescent guitar. And the final track, ‘Shreds’, has a bit of everything, summing up the suite and peaking with a joint alto and trumpet solo that soars above headily rich harmonies. Favourite Animals confirms Roberts’ talent as a composer and Luminous as a label to watch.