Sonance Hotel

Don't Look Behind You The Firstborn Is Dead Recordings****

Humanzi's former drummer makes a cracking solo record? Stop laughing at the back – it's so true you'll believe a man can fly. Although conceived while Humanzi were stationed in Berlin, Don't Look Behind You took proper shape from the time Brian Gallagher returned to Dublin; you can sense his displacement and engagement in the quite beautiful songs, including 2 Dimensional, I'm Not Here(both of which reference spooked early Pink Floyd), Divisionary(which fuses warped Ennio Morricone with song-based Brian Eno), and Living Is for Dreaming(very fine indie pop).

The album’s distinct, keen-edged intelligence is simultaneously sombre, subtle and stylishly (though not slavishly) experimental. Easily one of the best, most impressively potent Irish albums of the year so far.

Download tracks: 2 Dimensional, Divsionary, Ways of Wasting Time