Reviews

Where things seem difficult is in the detail. The name is an alter-ego for one Rick Tomlinson, multi-instrumentalist and sometime singer, that he plucked from a book when a deadline was approaching. It’s as good a way as any to find a description for his debut opus.

Voice Of The Seven Woods

Across ten tracks, this collection wanders through a myriad of sounds and influences. Sayat Nova, for example, coils round the essence of a raga, before hot on its heels, The Fire In My Head, waves a flag of psych-folk above a twisted beat.

It all leads to a point that makes the most conventional tune on offer, a deliciously star-crossed Nick Drake-a-like by the name of Silver Morning Branches, end up sounding like the most unusual – thanks in small part to an unexpected mariachi bridge.

And that’s the point. Even with repeated listens, Voice Of The Seven Woods remains unexpected. It paints meandering soundscapes that suddenly become tightly tuned necessities and has acres of mind-bending excursions that turn out to be key hooks.

As a result, that difficult description of the music becomes easy – all you need is two words. Damn fine.