Mugison - Lonely Mountain
[Lifelike]

Self financed and self-produced album from the mysterious Mugison finally gets a full commercial release.

At only eight tracks and clocking in at a tiny 33 minutes, this is much more than some average mini album. 'Lonely Mountain' is one of those rare releases that comes out of nowhere and surprises the hell out of everyone. With no two songs alike, and genres tossed around without a thought, it makes for a very unique listenening.

'Ear' is a lost Radiohead piece with a hint of early Minotaur Shock towards the ending, the twee electronics and xylophones excite in the same way those first Badly Drawn Boy EPs did. So much promise and substance and only two tracks in. The real diverse track comes in the shape of 'She'll Park The Car', a glitchy led instrumental with jazz horns in the not-so-near distance. Live skiffle drums and possible double bass compliment the electronica side elegantly.

It's the use of live instrumentation and computers which provide such interesting ground, a combination usually tagged lazily as 'Folktronica'. 'Pet' is a shining example of how good the fusion of folk and technology can be if it's done correctly, it's fair to say The Mountaineers may owe far more to this album than any Simian / Beta Band influence.

Heavily distorted demonised vocals in 'I'm On Fire' sees Mugison going heavy metal, only without the feedback, lycra and amps turned to 11. Also ends in true Four Tet drum roll style, ace as. Samples aside, it's the simplicity of closer 'Poke A Pal' that blows the rest of the album away, a beautifully stripped down, no-nonsense melancholic track that betters any other singer-songwriter around.

So painfully short it leaves you gagging for more, but what a gorgeous, heartfelt release without a hint of pretention. An astonishing release, definitely one for the Christmas list.