Ass is the work of Andreas Soderstrom. Soderstrom plays all of the instruments found on this quietly intoxicating 10 track record, the follow up to his astonishingly assured, eponymous debut – both released on Headspin Recordings. It finds him hacking through the folk undergrowth, his fluid dynamic underpinning a stark melancholy which simmers throughout. From the Britfolk fingerpicking of "I've Been Here" to the austere "Cool Water", the self taught multi instrumentalist wrings a plaintive beauty from his fingers; penning profoundly moving, largely non vocal entities, augmented at various points by electronic gurgles, horns and an accordion. Channelling a hypnotic style which is at times reminiscent of folk legends such as Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and John Fahey, his crisp compositions nevertheless have an ultra modernist edge to them, digital elements seeping through and sounding perfectly at home, but with a softly engaging feel rather than the clinical hum of technology. "My Get Up And Go Just Got Up And Went" is that rare kind of record; bewitching and thought provoking, comforting and challenging. It's a real treat, and a chance to hear the whispered charm of a subtly disarming performer.