Reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

The second Pye Corner Audio studio album for the excellent Sonic Cathedral label is a sequel to Let’s Emerge!, the long player with which he took his bow in 2022. Martin Jenkins, the prolific writer behind the pseudonym, moves further into Balearic warmth with the addition of guitars by Andy Bell, whose work has been enjoyed in this parish for a number of years.

Talking about the album, Jenkins says, “I wanted the whole record to be awash with distortion and saturation, but not in a blown-out guitar amp kind of way. Almost every element has been subject to some form of saturation.”

What’s the music like?

As you might expect, heat-soaked! The album is an ideal blend of electronica and shoegaze, topped off with some restrained euphoria in the form of vocals from Andy Bell and Ian Rankin. Bell proves an ideal match for the dreamy textures of Analogue Dreams, while Cycle goes through the gears with a strong electro bassline. Bell knows when to add propulsion in just the right measure, with a touch of Krautrock here and dubby house there.

Rankin’s involvement is a joy, his spoken word bringing a real frisson to The Breath Of Now, with its low-slung groove right out of the early 1990s. Towards the end of the album the temperature dips, the music cooler to the touch and exploring more shoegaze territory, but the move complements the first half nicely.

Does it all work?

It does – with More Songs About The Sun proving the ideal counterpart to its predecessor.

Is it recommended?

For sure. A hot weather beauty!

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,941 – Wednesday 8 July 2026