Dublin-based songwriter Pearse McGloughlin has already released three albums of meditative, slow-moving folk music, but his fourth under the Nocturnes banner is possibly his most personal and ruminative yet.
The birth of his daughter informs both the lyrical and atmospheric tone of these songs, with Dear Infant posing in his tender falsetto, 'What would I know without you?'. The most obvious musical touchpoint is Sigur Rós or a stripped-back Mercury Rev, with subtle elements of the fantastical audible on The Antler and Whale Song, while on Heikegani, Adrian Crowley's oaky voice adds weight and texture to McGloughlin's brittle tones.
It takes several listens to creep under your skin, but this imperfect collection can be compelling when listened to under the right circumstances and in the right mood.
