Stranded Horse – Humbling Tides

Yann Tambour – formerly Thee Stranded Horse, now Thee-less – writes and performs on a miniature kora, a kind of African harp/guitar. Throughout Humbling Tides, its arpeggios sit at the fore, off-set by bi-lingual vocals and occasional strings.

A penultimate cover of What Difference Does It Make takes an enjoyable but unnecessary diversion from the core sound, its comparatively springy gait making the closing Halos more of a slog than it need be - unfortunate, since, when tackled alone, the finale is quite possibly the album’s pinnacle: intricate and atmospheric, though likely too unwieldy an entrance point for newcomers.

Luckily, Humbling Tides contains accessible moments as well, such as mood-setting opener And the Shoreline It Withdrew In Anger. The latter’s wordy title also underscores a possible kindred spirit in Joanna Newsom, and though something as deeply fascinating as Have One On Me seems unlikely at this juncture, there’s still plenty to admire. [Chris Buckle]