Every now and then a record comes along that’s hard to categorise because it transverses the generic spectrum, and it’s different. I could make it easy for myself and declare Unkle’s latest as simply a dance record. But that would be a big mistake.

The album opens with a brief spoken dissertation (similar to something from one of Laurie Anderson’s early works). It’s about the way life changes: one minute wonderful, the next not so wonderful. Then into track two, Eye For An Eye, with a strong blues vibe, and a clever mix of dance and rock instrumentation. It’s a gargantuan song that’s reminiscent of Moby’s PLAY but bigger, better. Twinkling piano notes introduce the next track (In A State) before a subtle, understated passage of guitar and vocal appear alongside a delicate melody. Percussion and drums take over injecting a dance vibe to a haunting and utterly beautiful song. It then builds in pace, as string orchestration is added to the mix, and then slowly concludes with the same opening stark piano notes. It is simply stunning.

Safe In Mind is a moody, dark opus that features the voice of a man who appears to be popping up just about everywhere, Josh HommeI Need Something Stronger has a and mysterious, deep space ambience complete with intergalactic blips and echoes as it slowly wanders upwards and away. As the noises get louder it’s as though it’s arriving at a destination and then abruptly stops. Perhaps the drugs do work? Hypnotic. The gentle, fluid voice of Richard File then features on the more conventional and haunting What Are You To Me. James Lavell’s drum work is a revelation and adds vivid drama to an excellent song. The album concludes on two of the most wonderful slow and beautiful pop songs you’ll hear this year in Glow and Inside (and both make Aqualing look like a heavy meat musician!). James Lavelle is the driving force behind Unkle and with this album proves to be one of the most enlightened and creative musicians around at the moment - anywhere. Bonus and concluding track, Awake The Unkind nails one of the finest records of 2003.

NEVER, NEVER, LAND is an exciting and highly accessible album. It is also a highly crafted album that cleverly mixes several generic influences, and beguiling changes of pace into one magnificent whole. The results are stunning, and very moving.

4.5/5