Aim - Flight 602

After a four-year absence following the demise of Grand Central, Andy Turner AKA Aim returned to his home in small town Barrow-in-Furness to work on his latest LP, and there is a definite feeling of countryside calm to it. 'Flight 602' starts with the beautiful Walking Home Through the Park, which evokes all the pleasant feelings of its title. This mellow, soulful vibe continues for the whole album - tracks like Pier 57 and Landlord capturing all that was good in his previous work, but eschewing the darkness for a pastoral, mellow vibe. With no rappers on this record, Turner has really concentrated on the music, and as a result has created something that Mr Scruff or any of his Ninja Tune label-mates would be proud of. This is perfect car advert / dinner party music, but not in a derogatory sense whatsoever - it is well-made, inoffensive, nice even. Long-term fans might miss the melodrama of 'Cold Water Music' or the rhymes of 'Hinterland', but there's plenty of beauty on show. [Peter Walker]