Holton’s Opulent Oog – Love in the Mist

The bafflingly-monikered Holton’s Opulent Oog’s penchant for folky psychedelia is allowed loose on record once again, and a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience it is too. While driving force Nick Holton’s ditties would undoubtedly be more suited to a sunny summer picnic, the vocals have a storytelling ability that not many possess and the lyrics to match.

This allows the songs to translate well to any given time or place, and the detailed layering of barely-perceptible synth belies the generally carefree nature of the melodies. It doesn’t quite have the timeless charm or boundless optimism of its pastoral roots, but via some deft production work, the somnambulistic charm of Spanish guitar-heavy folk and the bravery to allow the music to occasionally stray upon a darker path, there’s enough to allow a drift off to dreamland, if only for a short while. [David Bowes]