The Agent Intellect, is the third album from Detroit post-punks Protomartyr and it is an utter sledgehammer. Right from the off it is pretty harrowing ride, bleak and threatening but really essential listening. It is named after an ancient philosophical questioning of how the mind operates in relation to the self. In line with this, it is articulate and elegant, but it is the constant threat of the switch getting flicked that is so rewarding... and when it does, it is devastating. Previous cutting 'Under Color Of Official Right' was our April 2014 record of the month and it is fair to agree with the press on this one, The Agent Intellect is a huge step forward. ★ ★ ★ ★