Lié

With ties to techno and a penchant for earthrumbling post-punk - along with a staunch willingness to stop rape culture, privilege and patriarchy in its tracks - there's no denying that Vancouver trio li [pronounced "leeey" and lower-case preferred] are an integral force in the global underground. Since forming in 2013, they've only grown louder, brasher and more intense as they've developed their sound across numerous releases and a near endless stream of international DIY tours. That momentum has culminated in You Want It Real. The band's fourth album, which expands on previous themes with an assured intensity and plenty of world-weary lyrics. Sonically, li's recordings have unlocked the fullbore wall of sound that's present in their live shows. That's due in part to the work of legendary punk producer Jesse Gander (White Lung, Japandroids), who has helped unlock a further disharmony of melody and feedback in the band's relentless aggression.