Fiel Garvie - !vuka vuka! (Noisebox)

It starts off very odd and gets even odder. Fiel Garvie are hard to pin down. They have been compared to The Cocteau Twins and Nearly God, so maybe that should give you some indication of where they are coming from. This album twists and turns in ways that are impossible to preconceive, and preconceptions are all you have when it comes to this Norwich bunch.

Formed in 1996 and apparently living it up on the live circuit in England at the moment, Fiel Garvie have a basic, straightforward sound that means nothing gets lost. Delicate yet intricate organs and mellotrons weave their way around the thought-provoking vocals of Anne Reekie. Sometimes sinister, sometimes seductive, her vocals often hide what are dark undertones in the lyrics.

While the songs may be wrapped up with some of the most heart-felt singing the, CD is wrapped up in a very interesting box. The artwork is gothic and dark and makes you want to learn more. The only way to do that is to pop this on, sit back and drift away into the soundscape, and don't worry, with all the sparseness in the music there will be plenty of room for you in there.

Ken McGrath