NewVillager I Am Sound***

It was their debut single ( Rich Doors) that first drew many to NewVillager's side back in early 2009. This perfectly pitched slice of laid-back boho-pop majesty features on the band's debut album, but it's just one of many stylistic cards in the pack. It's plain to see that NewVillager, fronted by New York and San Francisco multi- media artists Ross Simonini and Ben Bromley, aren't content to simply kick any one particular can down the road when they can instead wow you with a whole bunch of idiosyncratic, colourful cards. The band's ear for a strong tune and textures will keep you in your seat as they jiggle and juggle through the artier sides of pop and r'n'b. Undoubtedly the album would have benefited from more of these songs and textures; at times you get the feeling that they've run out ideas. Still, it's a decent, ambitious first draft. See newvillager.com

Download tracks: Rich Doors, Lighthouse