The following duo of 'All The Worlds Strangers' and 'Smells Of London' clearly owe a little more to classic singer-songwritery than the opener, with the former holding a frankly jaw-dropping falsetto amongst it's warmingly full-sounding folky soundscapes and perfectly recorded sparkling acoustic guitar, and the latter edging more towards mellow indica-dominant downbeat, flecked with spikes of snares punctuating the solid synth bassline.
As we move into the latter half of this delightful mini-album, Christie shows his diverse range of skills, with minimalistic vocal synth-pop (Hurricane Desmond) and pulsing, machinated synth swirls coupled with bit-crushed squeals and blipping, off-kilter percussives (Fighting Men). Finishing things off with the killer closing duology of 'Silent Spring', redolent of classic folk-pop moving slowly and gracefully into the end of all things, 'The End Of All Things' moving back into glitched-out Italo territory for a finishing and frankly spine-tinglingly effective closing salvo.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: Christie is both a clear talent and undeniable bastion of the DIY electronic scene, offering a keen ear for melody and an understated and frankly astounding vocal accompaniment. Superb stuff.TRACK LISTING
1. No Stranger To Controversy
2. All The Worlds Strangers
3. Smells Of London
4. Hurricane Desmond
5. Fighting Men
6. Silent Spring
7. The End Of All Things