Robin Guthrie – Sunflower Stories EP

It feels a strange observation to make, but former Cocteau Twin Robin Guthrie appears to have mellowed over the years. Somehow the Grangemouth multi-instrumentalist has stretched his former outfit’s dream pop yarn further yet with new EP Sunflower Stories. Rich in atmosphere, each track is a haze of cushioning guitar and brittle arrangement. Petals drifts out as an escalating blur of lonesome shoegaze, while Slightly Out of Focus’ echoic veneer is subtly laced with tear-stained melancholy. Sadly, inattentive listeners will hear these luscious cuts as little more than a soothing dinner party soundtrack, but rest assured Guthrie’s cinematic tales warrant further attention from lugholes and a higher rank in your record collection. [Billy Hamilton]