Knats are a band led by the rhythm section – bassist Stan Woodward and drummer King David-Ike Elechi’s teenage years were steeped the UK club music that dominated their native North East, and informed by their own self-directed voyage of discovery into classic jazz and fusion. All those influences are worn on the sleeve on this ebulliently confident debut. Unpretentious titles like ‘One For Josh’, and ‘Tortuga (for Me Mam)’ show that they’re still Newcastle homeboys at heart, and the clattering drum track for ‘Miz’ is a clear nod to the bounce and swagger of UK Garage, but the music reaches outwards and upwards towards a wider horizon.

They’ve enlisted the assistance of new friends and allies on the wider scene: Parthenope contributes some memorable alto sax on '500 FIls', Tom Ford adds guitar shred on ‘Se7en’ and Anatole Muster treats us to a rare slice of jazz-fusion accordion. Woodward’s loud, thick-toned bass is front and centre of each tune, anchoring every section with his powerful, unshowy precision: his awesome speed and accuracy are saved for some blistering solos. King’s intricate drumming crackles with energy, and together they’re a compelling proposition. Trumpeter Ferg Kilsby voices the pared-down themes that eschew the elaborate complexity of classic fusion for a more contemporary directness. The extra strings and horns indicate an ambition to expand the palette further, and powerful as the record is it still doesn’t quite match the awesomely intense impact of their live performances: we eagerly await the follow-up.