CD: The Proximity Effect

Glaswegian quartet Laki Mera extend and weave beyond the expected confines of genre as their boundary-free sound busts conventions like the musical equivalent of breaking the fourth wall. Released late in 21, the band's debut EP ""Clutter"" earned breathless comparisons with artists as diverse as the Cocteau Twins, Portishead, Blue Nile, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Radiohead. Such eclectism reflected the band's inherent ability to capture a style immediately recognisable, yet in a realm of its own. The bands freewheeling direction sees them continue to explore new terrain with their debut album - THE PROXIMITY EFFECT. Their eclecticism continues where ""Clutter"" left off, as they pursue fragile folk beauty (""Fingertips""), flourishes of ethereal eeriness with vocalist Laura Donnelly's tender vocals hanging in the ether like the voice of an imaginary friend (""Solstice"") and a gloriously atmospheric clash of sinister electronica and enticing pop hooks on More Than You. Audacious near instrumental ""Onion Machine"" provides a mid-album highlight as it employs a retro-futuristic synth riff, an emotive layer of cello, stabs of grinding guitar and an angular time signature.