Former Supergrass front man, Gaz Coombes has created an album of such diverse sounds that it is impossible to encapsulate in an opening sentence. Bombs starts the album with beautiful ethereal vocals over a twinkly electronic soundtrack. Hot Fruit has a driving guitar riff with vocals that recall The Beatles psychedelic era with a dirtier rocking chorus and a fairytale break that switches back to a building guitar crescendo. Whore has a tumbling rhythm throughout the verse to a chorus that recalls Coombes’ Supergrass roots. Sub-divider is a song going through an identity crisis. Is it a shoe-gazing ballad or a classic indie Britpop anthem?

Universal Cinema is a similar genre-smashing epic, switching from a mellow jangling guitar to wall of sound beats with menacing sounding spoken lyrics. Simulator has a Britpop era indie sound with a driving rhythm and echoing vocal breaks. White Noise is a lyrical lament to a loved one to show some understanding that would go down very well at an indie disco. Fanfare mixes poetic spoken lyrics with a soaring chorus against an electronic melody and this style is echoed in Break the Silence which has its roots in 80s pop. Daydream on a Street Corner sounds exactly like the title suggests, with street noises overlaying a pretty keyboard melody. Sleeping Giant has a dreamy feel to it with a lullaby-like lazy vocal over the top to bring the album to a close. Coombes has created an album that has enough of the familiar to carry along former fans with a twist of technological wizardry to create an eclectic range of tracks that just beg to be performed live.

Tanya Russell

If you want to see Gaz on tour – check out the dates

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