JOHN GRANT

if you're expecting the czars' mainman to deliver a straight up follow-up to the rapturously received 'queen of denmark', then you're in for something of a surprise here, albeit a rather splendid one.

there's a large portion of synthesisers & beats which, given Grant’s enduring love of vintage synth-pop & industrial dance, feels completely natural. If 'Queen Of Denmark' is Grant’s ‘70s album, channelling the spirits of Karen Carpenter & Bread, then 'Pale Green Ghosts' is his 80s album, recorded with Biggi Veira of electro-popsters gusgus. the title track is a panoramic, brooding classic with sinead o'connor's goose-bumping backing vocals, while ‘Sensitive New Age Guy’ & ‘Black Belt’ have been retrieved from new wave clubs. ‘You Don’t Have To’ sees his influences blending together & features the distinct spacey Moog sounds of 'Queen Of Denmark'. midlake & bowie channelled through the dark synths of depeche mode, trentemoller & these new puritans - wonderful!