Picking up where he left of with Gumshoe's first album, Phil Hampson has crafted six more songs that wander through a desert littered with the sparkly remains of 80s electronic pop debris.

Gumshoe Positive Sinking EP (self-released)

There are slinky bass lines, mid-tempo beats and modestly ethereal harmonies that don't so much float as insinuate themselves into the brain. But Hampson has learned from the excess of his predecessors, and he keeps these songs at a high simmer. The hooks are understated, and when the songs are done they're done (lengths vary from 1:33 to 5:15).

I note the song lengths because it's not nearly as easy to comprehend them while listening. Hampson's feel for the expiration date of a song is impressive. He knows when to let things roll, and he's even better at calling it a day.

Hampson has a clear vision of where he wants to go, and he has the skills to complete the journey. This isn't a grabber, but in six songs Hampson says a lot more than many do within the space of a full-length. Let Gumshoe do the driving and allow your brain to meander. Lovely.

Jon Worley