Keyboard Choir - Mizen Head To Gascanane Sound

create the kind of multi-layered synthesised futuristic sounds that instantly conjure up images of Flash Gordon prancing around, trying to save the world. OK, so it’s not quite a geeky and camp as this image suggests but their sound is most certainly other-worldly - think collapsing stars and exploding asteroids a-go-go.

‘Legal Boards’ starts off with a simple waltz rhythm before gradually building up steam until it lurches off on its own bizarre tangent, like a robot short-circuiting, spasming and running up and down, sparks flying and serious danger imminent. In fact, so much of this album sounds like a soundtrack to a outer space daydream, sweet and rinky dinky at one moment, vaguely sinister and unnerving the next. The dire warnings of an otherworldly invasion at the start of ‘Bugs’ (interestingly, one of the only verbal moments on the album) is in contrast with the gliding super-relaxed melody, which wouldn’t sound out of place on an Air album. But, true to form, the Keyboard Choir start to crank up the volume, add another Korg or two and let rip as the track reaches an apocalyptic climax. And ‘In This Situation, Thinking Won’t Help’ is the sound of Dracula floating around the Milky Way looking for his next victim - frantic and spooky in equal measures. They do this sort of creeping tension very well, but they run the risk of seeming like one trick ponies - when you can start anticipating what’s going to happen in the next track, it’s surely not a good sign. On the whole, the Keyboard Choir create music that sends your mind boggling on an outer space odyssey (without the need for any illicit substances, either).

Electronica is a genre more than any other where artists can easily disappear up their own Moogs so it’s wonderful to know that the Keyboard Choir have discovered the mystical knack of being pop enough to keep a tune going while still being just the right (listenable) side of experimental. For moments when you want to take a gentle stroll in space and watch the comets zoom by, Keyboard Choir are definitely your best guides.