The latest releases reviewed.

YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS Colossal Youth Domino ****

The Cardiff trio's only album, recorded in just four days in 1980, still resonates with a beguiling low-key and haunted beauty. While their peers concentrated on making post-punk statements of noisy discontent, vocalist Alison Statton and Moxham brothers Stuart (songwriter and guitarist) and Philip (bassist) prefered a more subtle, streamlined approach. As everyone else turned things up, YBG turned down the volume and forced you to listen closer. Their methods and sparse instrumentation made the tracks sound more alien and mysterious than anything else around in 1980. Much of this can be attributed to the manner in which Statton's icy, disaffected vocals deal with Moxham's lyrics about youthful heartbreak. Kudos to Domino, which also has a second CD containing their Testcard EP, Final Day single and tracks from the Is the War Over? and Salad Days compilations. www. myspace.com/youngmarblegiants JIM CARROLL

Download tracks: Searching for Mr Right, N.I.T.A., Salad Days