Adam Stafford - Awnings

Compared to 2008, when all-pervading Falkirk outfit Y’All Is Fantasy Island unleashed a trio of albums upon the unsuspecting Scottish indie fraternity, 2009 has been relatively quiet. It’s the perfect time, then, for the band’s nucleus Adam Stafford to release a solo album. Awnings is an experimental lo-fi collection, written and recorded in a three hour session. The record is built around intense, taut drumbeats and splashes of warped vocal. There are few lyrics and (bar the short spoken word track, Huntington House for the Deaf) when they do appear, they’re so low in the mix that they’re rendered indecipherable. What results is an exercise in atmospherics. From the Amazonian rumblings of opener Penshaw Movement to the breakneck title track, it's an intoxicating listen. A clear departure for Stafford, the album goes some way to highlighting his versatility as a composer. And whilst Awnings won't be for everyone, it’s worth finding out which camp you belong to.[Finbarr Bermingham]