Dene Bebbington has just posted a review of my new album, SHIFT, at his excellent site, Melliflua. SHIFT is now widely available online (including iTunes) and in stores if you ask them to order it (it is available in their catalog).

High pitched shimmying tones lead into a sparing piano melody and blistering yet restrained electric guitar riffs in the opening track “Panorama”. Bass, hi-hat, and later a syncopated simple melody then burst into the mix to make this a foot-tapping number. Guitar and drums (or drum effects) crop up in several of the tracks. In “Chamber” a rhythm or bass guitar delivers a lazy melody against hi-hat percussion, some drums, and electronics plus piano occasionally add simple refrains.

Most of this album is generally upbeat in tempo, sometimes getting a little funky as in “Horizon”. Beginning with lovely crystalline synth washes it then bursts into a passage one might describe as smooth jazz. Bringing everything to a close is another funky piece called “Nimbus”. Again with pacey rhythms and some squiggly melodies, and a slower interlude in the middle, it’s exciting and fun in a not out of control manner.

It’s good to see independent artists who don’t make a fortune (or even a living!) out of their music releasing new work. Shift is in my view better than Paradigm and a reasonably enjoyable album [...]

Visit Melliflua for the full review.