Release Date: 12 April on the Substream Label

This Morning Call, aka Ben Heyworth, is a UK electronic pop producer. Mixing traditional indie balladry with live orchestration, electronic quirks, glitch and ambience, he draws a sombre line under the increasingly creative electro scene activities. But he also quietly remanufactures the tradional guitar band set-up. You’ll hear shades of Keane, Postal Service, and Ha-Ha.

“We’ve done all sorts of shows in the past, and it’s the more innovative stuff that sticks in the mind. The Live Art Installation we did for the Futuresonic Festival in Manchester, where local artists literally painted the audience while they watched the show, and auctioned the resulting canvas. Shows tend to be one-off affairs, unusual venues, strange little festivals, that sort of thing. This is the first time we’ve really taken time to do a number of dates back to back.”

The live band, fronted by Heyworth, includes a number of orchestral players and a bassoon. “Like the cello, I’m interested in some of the low, rumbling noises that it can produce; really sinister and loud; and conversely, it sounds beautiful in the upper registers for top-line melody. We’ve used it a lot on the album, and it was something that I really wanted to try and take into the live arena. It’s unusual for sure; I don’t think there are many pop acts that feature a laptop, a live rhythm section and a bassoon in their line-up.”

This Morning Call has been variously described as ‘Portishead on anti-depressants’, and ‘LCD Soundsystem with a hangover.’ And in truth, those descriptions are pretty close to the mark. Opener, ‘Tides’, is a standout here with its jaunty electronic rhythm, super-strong melody, pleasant and expressive vocal, and the way the song opens out after its quiet intro. It’s an obvious single with choruses featuring an angelic vocal backdrop that’s no less than enchanting. ‘In Country’ arrives in darker clothes with sweeping orchestral string passages, a wistful vocal and another powerful melody. It’s another standout. ‘Salt’ features an extended instrumental intro before a contemplative vocal takes centre stage before drums give the song an edgy feel, while guitars provide the clue that this is a band record, rather than some fully computerised concoction. Thus far, the album has not disappointed and certainly offers an original and distinctive sound.

‘The Observatory’ carries on the largely slow-paced reflection with the addition of that bassoon to provide a quite beautiful vibe. ‘Orange Glow’ opens with a delightful vocal harmony passage that meets weird elctronic noises and the clearer lead vocal. It’s another standout and the most adventurous song on the record. The only thing missing here is a diversity of mood, for example, something epic and loud would have been welcome to break up the steady stream of ambient sounds. That said, there’s not a duff track here to muddy the waters, and certainly enough to warrant a strong buy recommendation.

4/5