Intricate, cinematic, indulgent, sentimental, layered and atmospheric.

I was 17 when the Arctic Monkeys last emerged on the scene, all the way back in 2013.

They were about to release their fifth studio album ‘AM’ and the UK was ablaze with hype. I was in sixth form at the time and all of my friends were as caught up in the anticipation I was.

When it finally released, we played it everywhere. In the car, on CD players in our living rooms, through our iPod’s and phones. It was an obsession.

Five years on, AM seems to have become cemented with fond memories and nostalgia. For me, at least, it represents a specific moment in my life – the messy excitement of house parties, the newly-discovered expense of pubs and the last months of secondary school.

It was also an important part of the Arctic Monkey’s legacy, allowing them to finally crack into the mainstream American market and attract a wealth of younger fans that had been too young to appreciate the explosive debut of ‘Whatever People Say I Am That’s What I’m Not’ all the way back in 2006.

It was, in many ways, both a regenerative moment and an unspoken close to an era.

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

So following up from such a significant landmark in a bands career is a tough one, and it was inevitable that things would be taken into a less-than-expected direction this time around.

With ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ think spacey, cinematic sonic landscapes and sci-fi sounds. Think atmospheric, personal, intricate and almost-frustratingly layered tracks that seep into one another. Think puzzles, things to unravel and ideas to unpack.

It’s a winding record, a dense collage of lyricism and piano, a fusion of ballads and fuzzy guitars that set a tone and dive deep, exploring a world that feels more personal and intimate than any Arctic Monkey’s album preceding it.

If you’re in search of rapid bangers about the concrete pavements of Sheffield then you’ll be thoroughly underwhelmed with what’s on offer. This is for fans of ‘The Last Shadow Puppets’, the ‘Submarine’ EP and the more sentimental moments in Alex Turner’s discography. It’s a significant step in musical maturity, too, and is worlds apart from the taxi cabs and slot machines of decades past.

‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ also feels more ambitious than previous LPs such as ‘Humbug’ and ‘Suck It And See’. There’s more weight, cohesion and detail peppered amongst each of the eleven tracks, with Turner almost channeling a Bowie-worthy charm that smothers the instrumentals in a dreamy haze.

‘Star Treatment’ is a fantastic opener and is the most Bowie moment of the album. Alex mentions his initial ambitions of ‘being one of the Strokes’ before veering off into a mix of introspection and characterisation, depicting himself as a lamenting 70s rock star that’s found themselves unstuck. How much of it is fictional, and how much of it is real reflection, is up for interpretation.

Elsewhere, ‘One Point Perspective’ opens with a piano key that, humorously, reminds me of ‘Broccoli’ by D.R.A.M. It quickly distinguishes itself from the 2016 trap-banger however, as Alex’s voice floods in and extra strings curl around the keys.

‘American Sports’ has a vintage film feel, contributing to the overall classic-retro vibe that’s spread throughout. There’s light nods to political upset here as Alex sings of the new-found ‘fluidity’ in truth and calling God once a week on video-call. It’s contrasting and striking, reminding you of why this bands lyrics have always been so captivating.

The occasional lick of trademark Arctic Monkeys sound can also be heard in tracks such as ‘Golden Trunks’, ‘Four Out Of Five’, and ‘She Looks Like Fun’, where AM-worthy riffs spiral into the vocals and add an extra dimension to what would otherwise be a solely Alex Turner show.

This isn’t a completely perfect project however. At times the tonal consistency can almost be too much, and you’ll find yourself on occasion finding the vocal performances incessant. The lyrical tapestry here can seem like rambling at times.

It’s also hard not to yearn for one or two more traditional tracks, ones that are immediate to the ear and accessible from the outset. Despite all the leaps, whistles and development, it’s still easy to miss those fantastic hooks and instantly-gratifying guitars. But then that isn’t the point of the project, nor does it serve the overall feel of the LP, and this latest offering should be treated as its own entity.

A Divisive Sixth Album

‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ will undoubtedly cause dispute amongst Arctic Monkey’s fans, and there’ll be plenty who dismiss this album as another misstep into the American, whispery territory of reduced intensity and increased indulgence. But to label the album strictly under the lens of what is familiar would be a mistake.

For all of its crooning and density, the Arctic Monkey’s sixth album is a highly-accomplished work, one that pours out top-tier songwriting and spacey instrumentation.

It is absolute lightyears away from AM, but then so too are everyone and everything that has created it. Five years is a long time to develop, to change and reinvent, and like the most revered musical acts, the Arctic Monkey’s have redefined themselves into a rock and roll anomaly of 2018.

The album is commendable for not taking an easy route, for braving such a new direction and for making it all, for the most part, work seamlessly. It’s not without its flaws, but ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ succeeds in creating a sense of stepping into an unknown expanse.

Love it or hate it, the boys from Sheffield have continued to create and experiment in authentic ways that challenge and surprise, and for one of the last big rock acts of the modern era, that’s a hell of an accomplishment.