Voyage [CD]

The Sound Of Arrows have taken their time to release this, their debut album, and it shows. What is immediately obvious is that there is no filler here - just brilliantly realised and moving electronic pop.

`Into The Clouds' builds up a sense of anticipation so that when the shimmering production kicks in it feels like a burst of sunshine. It's the perfect way to open the album as it sets the tone of widescreen production and of emotions taking flight.

`Wonders' is stunning, with synth sounds that send a shiver down the spine. It's dance music with purpose and grace.

`My Shadow' is mid-tempo and sounds instantly familiar. Warm synths sit alongside a wistful Italo-disco melody whilst lyrically it's bittersweet (particularly when the explanation for the song title is revealed at the 2:35 mark).

A remixed version of the bouncy single `Magic' is charming. Featuring a children's choir that manages to be moving rather than mawkish, this track looks back to a lost childhood (or the childhood we wished we'd had).

Things slow down for `Ruins Of Rome', which again features the children's choir to great effect. The retro-futurist electronica feels especially haunting for anyone old enough to recall the mid-80s.

`Longest Ever Dream' is the standout track of this amazing album - pulsating, melancholy and beautiful. Lyrically, it's got that late-ABBA (`Visitors' era) ambivalence where the past is suddenly being viewed from a new perspective. Musically, it has a strong Giorgio Moroder feel.

`Hurting All The Way' is a lovely, autotuned ballad. `Conquest' is pleasant but the least interesting thing here. `Nova' is the last `pop/dance' track & again pushes all the right happy/sad emotional buttons.

`There Is Still Hope' is where things get epic - this plays like the soundtrack to the most emotional moments of your life. The slow build up leads to a stunning, euphoric piece of music that seems to take you to another place.

'Lost City' is the instrumental Vangelis-like epilogue with uplifting orchestral electronica.

This is easily the best album I've heard all year - each track is exquisitely detailed and full of lovely moments that I want to play on repeat. It forces you to have a reaction, to feel something; don't be surprised to find yourself on the verge of tears without quite knowing why.

Quite simply took a bit of a gamble purchasing this, as i sometimes do, just had a gut feeling i would like it, and strangly enough i was right :-) It is so instantly likeable, the hooks are infectious and just makes me feel happier. Its a bit between (for me anyway) The Pet Shop Boys and St Etienne, great production too "Magic" is simply that, as is the rest of the album. So if you fancy been uplifted and made to feel a little happier give this cracking little album a go....you should not be disappointed.

This is hands down the best album I have bought all year... actually, it's the best album I have bought since Takk by Sigur Ros back in 2006!

Words cannot be enough to describe how euphoric this album is. It feel like hearing music for the first time. It feels like finishing school on the last day of the school year. It feels like the best night of your life dancing with every one of your friends you have ever known. It feels like the colours you see when you close your eyes.