unhappybirthday

If the eight new tracks can be attributed to a particular genre, shoegaze comes closest, albeit with a sense of form skilfully distilled from the 1980s, a diaphanous essence found less in concrete, constituent parts and more in the work as a whole. There is a shimmer of the vitreous elegance once epitomized by David Sylvian - without actually sounding like Japan, an echo of Sades silky stylishness without for a moment implying that this should be added to a cocktail party playlist. Instead, like the finest traces of perfume, a note here and there sparks recollections, hinting at the playful experimentation of Les Disques du Crepuscule releases.The result is bradycardic, sophisticated pop, overcast with dreams: music falling like light on mother of pearl, a transient memory of moist, warm skin.