TRASH KIT are a gang of facepainted flag-bearers who have a wild feel for melody and a heartfelt kick inside each song. Mixing chaos, considered songcraft and overlapping harmonies in equal measure, the female trio sound as joyful as they are focussed.

Rachel Aggs, Rachel Horwood and Ros Murray formed the band in early 2009, and since then have been lighting up London, energising the UK underground with their raw performances and promise. Trash Kit have a sound of their very own, it's both urbane and primal, drawing on the potential of punk and the naturalism of an internal folk music.

'TRASH KIT'

Cadets | Fame

UTR036 | CD / LP | 17 tracks, 26 minutes | 26 April 2010

With their self-titled debut album, Trash Kit have successfully captured their narrative enthusiasm without losing any charm.

There's a stripped back quality to their music that packs the bravest of punches. Both Rachels tangle their vocals with each other whilst expressive drumbeats and impulsive guitar lines pin down the songs.

Agg's guitar playing is as much informed by African fingerstyle patterns as the percussive attitude of various no wave shredders. It often sounds like the guitar lines leap just ahead of the pursuing drums like a musical chase.

Horwood approaches her rhythms with an untamed freedom, pushing them forward into the realms of lead instrument. With the inclusion of handclaps, tattered cymbals and Djembe - played with a stick as part of the kit - her vivid drumming sounds nothing short of gripping.

Trash Kit's music is full of pauses, flips and punctuation, this is where Ros Murray and her resonant, spirited bass work finds the perfect balance.

The album, recorded in just a handful of days, sees them skip-rope through 17 of their colourful compositions, even finding time to work in passages of violin, noisy freak-outs and some saxophone touches courtesy of guest musician, Verity Susman. The group vocals and wordless singing that weaves through the album are another key part of the band, allowing them to express the uncertain in a way which showcases their boundless delight in making music in its most fun and natural form.

Lyrically, their songs deal with identity and honesty and with a result they find their own voice stronger than they thought. Their poignant songs tackle a wide range of issues, in a personal way. "It's at your fingertips, take this moment, don't forget a single word that was spoken" sings Rachel A in "Fame" and ,in truth, that's how Trash Kit approach each song, with total sincerity and directness.

It's easy to find yourself in their music and get caught up in the moment. Tracks like "New Face"and "Bad Books" fly by with all the rush of endorphins, whilst other songs such as "Freetime" embark on more pensive adventures. "Filipino Song" takes its inspiration from the drumbeat of a traditional Filipino folk dance and, whilst celebrating a diversity of ideas, it also reflects on that feeling of otherness that comes with being mixed race.

'Trash Kit' is an album with a lot to say, but its overall sentiment of remaining true to yourself never loses clarity. "Cadets" is a raucous call to arms exercise in the power of the catchy hook, whilst "Natascha" and "Tattoo" are altogether more sensitive affairs, exposing a certain vulnerability and candor the band wear like a badge of pride.

Trash Kit take risks with - and inside - their songs, and it's exactly this attitude which frees up their music and makes them sound so compelling and different. Trash Kit are a band who turn the personal into the poetic, who make the everyday radical, and, for that, they sound truly original.