Lo-Fang – Blue Film

The debut album by LA's Matthew Hemerlein, aka Lo-Fang, sits comfortably alongside the neo-soul of James Blake, the spectral, ethereal hip-hop/R 'n' B of Twin Shadow and How To Dress Well, and the quirky synth-pop experiments of Matthew Dear. His voice ranges from a burnished croon recalling Ninja Tune's Fink (on the darkly-hued, string-led ballad Boris) to a smooth, soaring falsetto (on the magnificent opener Look Away), elevated considerably by conversational, lovelorn lyrics.

The lithe, stop-start beats of Light Year and the euphoric electro of album highlight Animal Urges show he has considerable chops as a producer. As a classically-trained multi-instrumentalist, he fills Blue Film with interesting compositional approaches and orchestral flourishes, while retaining a sparse, roomy minimalism. Although, occasionally, there is a blandness to both his subject matter and his delivery, there are enough glimmers of originality and invention to make this a rewarding listen, and a promising debut. [Bram E. Gieben]