The Shadow Ring’s excursions into rock’s most primitive territories have created something of their own musical language, and Hold Onto I.D. follows up excellently in this vein — the band’s abrasive minimalism is in fine, eerie form, but also sports a post-punk angularity that keeps the album as much in line with This Heat or the Fall as it is with gritty New Zealand projects like This Kind of Punishment. There is, of course, the fact that many music lovers might find this work completely unlistenable, but the select niche of listeners who have loved the Shadow Ring’s earlier work will undoubtedly find Hold Onto I.D. a thrilling advancement of their musical aims. – Nitsuh Abebe
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