Various Artists: Secret Love 4

Sonar Kollektiv intends its Secret Love series to be a multi-faceted exploration of the possibilities of folk music, but really it’s just a collection of damn good songs, perfect for night time driving or isolated longing. Though Paul Weller’s political intonations at the end of “The Loved” feel a bit out of place and Andrew Bird’s “Imitosis” feels curiously poppy given its somewhat morose surroundings, overall we’re treated to track after track of fantastic indie folk-pop: Midlake’s “Roscoe” is given a highly effective keyboard remix, Roebeck’s “Atlantic” pleasantly reminds you of Zero 7’s earlier works, Little Dragon’s “Twice” is lush piano balladry in the same vein as Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song” and Eva Be’s “She Walks Alone” doesn’t as much grab your attention as it does demand it with its upfront acoustic pickings and effectively plainspoken vocals. It’s not going to top any critical year-end poll, but if you’re in the right kind of mood, Secret Love 4 is the kind of secret that you can’t help but passionately love.