Turning Songs Into Snogs and Snogs Into Songs

The Cast (Albums) : Almost An Island, Beauty Sleep, Ginnels, Syd dePalma. Tankus

The Cast (EPs, Singles and Songs) : Hope Singers, Lyr, Viic Waters

Almost An Island : Almost An Island

Best for : Those who want beautiful music that brings them peace

On one level this is the sound of deeply ambient Americana. On another level though it almost transcends music, being a form of medical grade ambience that should only be available on prescription.

I've struggled before with describing how ambient music works. Almost An Island demonstrates more than anyone else that it's not about what you hear, but what you feel from listening to it that counts. There's nothing here that sticks in your memory, but in the moment it's all consuming and more important than anything else in your world. It's music that is big enough to fill your universe, to inspire awe and reverence and instill you with a sense of wonder. You could almost describe it as something that makes communion with your higher being of choice easier and more fulfilling. It seems to come from far away, bent and stretched over time and distance whether that's through the cosmos or across darkened prairies and through deep ravines. Reading that back, I question myself. "Really?", but the answer remains "Yes".

'Quadrivium' approaches from the midst of complete silence. Nothing else is discernible. It's as if sound, not music, has broken into separate fragments. It's what you might hear if time stood still, and music has been forced to slow down. It's calming and possesses great beauty. 'Wide Open (In Two Parts)' is typical. It contains hisses and whooshes, rising and falling that make for rich musical textures and immensely satisfying atmospheres. You need to hear it to feel what moved me.

There are passages of more recognisable music, and it's these parts that nod to Americana in their sliding guitars and percussion that sounds like rocks tumbling where no one can hear them. 'An Ode To Nothing' is one example. 'Perfume Gloves' has the pulse of music that lives and breathes.

'In Light Of' is the only track with discernible vocals, a repeated, calm plea to "Slow it down". It's excellent advice. Follow it and you'll be left with cleansing silence and a sense of peace.

Taster Track : Perfume Gloves

Paris : Syd dePalma

Best for : Fans of cinematic, electronic rock brimming with force and power

Syd dePalma is a Spanish poet with an interest in many different styles of music. The poetry may be lost on non- Spanish speakers so this album rests on its music. That's good. There's a lot to explore here as he delves into pop, a splash of shoegaze, dystopian electronica, experimental rock and, on 'Vuela y Sus Pupila Se Dilaton', flamenco.

The spirit of flamenco remains influential even when it's not heard in the music. This is passionate stuff, with the feeling of lost souls craving release from their own private purgatory.

dePalma sounds like a man who grew up listening to an older brother's collection of underground psychedelia, while being unable to let go of radio friendly melodies. 'Principe' is like a long climb to the zip wire platform, followed by the freedom of swooping into a melodic chorus. For every burst of bent and distorted guitar, for every portentous roll of the drums, there's a likeable melody too.

These songs are full of cinematic climaxes, rising to crescendos with a strong sense of approaching an urgent, unwelcome point of no return. This is a rock album but with a seasoning of '00s electronica influenced by films like 'The Matrix'. It called to mind the forgotten sound of Rob Dougan being clubbed to death.

There's a heavy moving, unstoppable force at the heart of these songs, which means that they sometimes grind their way to a conclusion. That's the case with 'Plataformos y Sexo' but also means that the closing piano code is one of the most effective touches on the album. The songs also become increasingly moody and atmospheric, as on 'Confianza, la Noche Me Dejaste Ser Triste'.

There's a lot to explore on 'Paris', meaning that repeated listens will prove rewarding and satisfying. There's a lot to like too.

Taster Track : Vuela, y Sus Pupila Se Dialatan

The Picturesque : Ginnels

Best for : Indie kids who miss the sound of pristine melodic pop

Life is full of good times, good people, and good sounds but, sometimes, we move on and leave them behind. When they re-enter our lives it's with an impact that says, quietly, "This matters. This helps to make life worthwhile".

'The Picturesque' is an album that's rooted in the Irish indie sounds of the late 00s and 2010s, a time when the financial crisis felt like the world was imploding in unimaginable ways. It was bands like The Thrills and Hal that brought sweetness and melody to a world that had allowed discord to oust harmony. We're in a similar place now and , this time, Ginnels are one of the bands coming to the rescue

Ginnels make music that jangles in a way we haven't heard properly for twenty years. It's music that offers an escape and a refuge when the daily grind feels too much. It's the equivalent of a stolen coffee on the way to work, an unexpected kindness at the start of the day. It's as comforting as a new book by your favourite author and the time to settle into it.

Sit back and enjoy the feeling of melodic indie pop in 'The Body Is Gone'. It's the sound of a good day beginning. It's music that isn't heavy, pushy or showy but it will carry you along allowing you to focus on the music and the songs rather than the manufactured performance and the production. It's formed out of a love for music, not a desire to be a celebrity or spokesperson for a generation.

Of course it's retro. It harks back to an era that was itself looking back to the Summer sound of the 60s and 70s. Mark Chester's vocals are attractively tremulous and vulnerable. 'To Love To Love' is just one example of how well they work in the songs. There's a sweet but unexpected pastoral touch to the title track. The trilling descents of 'Promise To Never' will melt your heart.

This is the happy combination of the right record at the right time. It's central heating for the soul. Enjoy it.

Taster Track : The Body Was Gone

The Whole Damn Cake : Beauty Sleep

Best for : Soundtracking growth from young uns to young guns.

Back in 1979, I'd just left school and was hoping and expecting to move on to uni. Tubeway Army's 'Are Friends Electric' was one of the sounds of that Summer - new, electric and exciting. It meshed perfectly with the feeling that life was on the cusp of something completely different. And that was pretty much realised. In almost all the ways you can mention, life was never the same again. It wasn't smooth sailing though. Inexperience and a lack of worldliness made sure of that.

I had an echo of that buzz with the opening track of 'The Whole Damn Cake'. 'Up for Air' builds and builds, note by note and beat by beat, heightening anticipation. It's bubbly, symphonic synth pop. TIt's an album that's very Radio 1 - lightweight, poppy, fun and danceable. As the whole damn cake, it brings the brightly coloured icing and a sponge a little too laced with sweetener. It would be rude to refuse a slice, but it's too synthetic to satisfy. A small portion is usually enough.

It feels bright, but also brittle. There's a sense of starting out and a feeling that there are bags of potential still waiting to be realised. Beauty Sleep needs to dream up a way to surprise us, to be less pristine and more bold. There are vibes of Confidence Man in the mix, but for now they're still Confidence sixth-formers.

What you can't deny is that mixed in with the inexperience is an appealing, optimistic and unshakeable self-belief. It means there's a lot here to like. 'You -You're All I Wanted' incorporates guitar that flickers like static as you remove synthetic clothing. Whilst 'No Fever Ever Lasts' feels more frantic than exciting, the nagging hooks of 'We Don't Talk About It' and 'Radical Happiness' are worth waiting for. There are times when they could be the Human League - not of 'Being Boiled' but of '(Keep Feeling) Fascination' and 'Mirror Man'.

I'd see that as a strong reason to persevere, and an excellent way to spend forty minutes of your time.

Taster Track : We Don't Talk About It

Valley Of Distraction : Tanku

Best for : Putting showmanship and storytelling at the centre of rock

Tankus (or Tankus the Henge as they were) are an outstanding live act. Their songs have a life of their own on stage and, visually, they're a stunning experience. Recorded Tankus has a lot to live up to, but with 'Valley of Distraction' they've delivered.

They look like a rock band but they feel like runaways from the circus, adventurers returning from their travels with tales to tell. Amidst all the energy they have the warmth of your most out there friend on top storytelling form. They may not be the sound of the future, but in their rich chronicles of the past and their travels through life they're unbeatable.

Their style is a mix of music hall, Sgt, Pepper and intense troubadours like Scott Walker and Tom Waits. It may not fit into anything else around but it entertains and they don't give a damn. It's over the top, and gloriously so.

Jay Delorean's presence is everywhere. His vocals are battered but strong and powerful, excited and exciting. His piano playing is on another level. The support from the rest of the band is excellent, tight and aggressive but also sensitive to the moments of quieter reflection that give us a glimpse of feelings beneath the performance. You hear that in the openings to '2 Steps Ahead' and 'The Endless Way'. Don't worry, they rarely last for long, although 'That's Something I Never Thought I Would Do' is an excellent exception. I'll shout out too, to Joao Mello's sax, which is the trigger for many of the album's best moments. Songs may be led by Delorean's piano but all the instruments are full of life and vibrant colour.

On this album, the big leap forward lies in the strength of their melodies. 'Clapton Pond' may be their most accessible song since 'Smiling Makes The Day Go Quicker'. 'City of Angels' is simply epic, bringing the world back home to the Charing Cross Road. Jarvis Cocker will be gnashing his teeth at the sound of the best song he never wrote!

This is their finest album by far. Tankus are a band who are the complete, joyful package. Listen to this album and then queue all night to see them live.

Taster Track : City of Angels

EPs, Singles and Songs

(Viic Waters, The Hope Singers, Lyr)

Three singles for you this week that are all infused with feelings engendered by the state of the world.

In the case of the Hope Singers, they're offering an antidote. Their delightful cover of World Party's 'Take It Up' is a return to the 60s Summer of Love. It has an innocence and optimism that is heartwarming, and you'll feel better for hearing it. The 'B' Side is another cover - Robert Palmer's 'Johnny and Mary'. I call it a cover, but it's more of an adaptation, with an interesting arrangement featuring something that sounds like an accordion.

Like The Hope Singers, Viic Waters is from Sweden. The resemblance ends there. She has more in common with Iceland and the likes of Sigur Ros and Bjork. On 'Wasted All Those Years' her vocals have the strained feel caused by enduring and heightened tension. The song feels like a message from far away, nearly breaking up. It evolves though into something lusher that softens the vocals, making them less raw and the song something to be admired.

Lyr are much more contemporary. Their mix of poetry and excellent, wait for them, choruses is different and welcome. 'Blah, Blah, Blah' is imaginative and humorous, melodic and clever. It has a slightly panicky and agitated feel that makes it a song for our times.