These New Puritans – Hidden [MMXX] (2xLP)

Hidden [MMXX], the ten-year anniversary reissue of These New Puritans’ 2010 breakthrough Hidden, revitalizes the original masterpiece with a trove of unreleased studio outtakes and live recordings. The album remains a bold confrontation of convention—brutal taiko-drum thrusts meet delicate choral whispers, orchestral brass swells collide with sub-heavy beats, and everyday objects become bizarre instruments. This edition expands the original's mythos, reaffirming its visionary blend of dancehall energy and minimalist complexity, now enriched by hidden gems that deepen its haunting, ritualistic allure.

This [MMXX] release stands as a testament to the album’s enduring impact—a record both forensic in its sound-design detail and cinematic in its sweeping, elemental drama. Rediscovering Hidden through this prism feels like encountering a familiar ghost illuminated in fresh light, one that continues to feel pioneering, unclassifiable, and as powerful as ever.

Reviews

“Hidden is not just the most original record to emerge from Britain this year, but the most unfathomable: an immaculate enigma” – The Guardian

“Seldom have classical delicacy, rock attitude and pop vitality coexisted with such improbable ease.” – Paste Magazine

“Hidden won’t change British indie, but it should obliterate all expectations as far as These New Puritans are concerned.” – Prefix Magazine

“Bassoons, French horns, Japanese taiko drums, a children’s choir, Foley samples… And yet Hidden is a strikingly inventive and original rock record.” – Pitchfork

“It’s pretty obvious really, but noise is the heart of music… noise is suffering. It’s exciting then… dragging a fresh clarity of sound into the world…” – NME