The Soundcarriers: Harmonium

Drawing inspiration from the Free Design’s sunshine psych-pop harmonies and Stereolab’s electro-lounge, Nottingham’s the Soundcarriers have created its very own slice of seductive psychedelia. The 16 songs that make up this excellent debut oscillate between jazzy free-falling folk and funk, the groovy easy-listening ambience of movie/television soundtracks of the love generation and the trippy mix-and-match vibe of ’60s Asian pop. In all, it brings to mind contemporaries like Dengue Fever on a number of tracks — including one of many highlights, “Without Sound” — without ever losing a sense of the organic. And as ethereal male/female harmony vocals enthrall — buoyed along by funky flutes, swirling analogue keys and chiming triangles — the record and the time listening to it gently slip away until you find yourself dropping the needle back in the groove to give Harmonium yet another go around. This album is so addictive it should come with a health warning.