And Then We Saw Land

Tunng's fourth album took them over a year to write and follows the departure of founder member and songwriter Sam Genders, and a critically acclaimed tour with unlikely stage partners Tinariwen. And Then We Saw Land sees the English folk-pop collective sailing back towards the electronic payload of their earlier work. Singer Becky Jacobs steps to the fore as a vocalist – a good match for Mike Lindsay's pastoral English style – and they lead off with the enticing rhythmic pulse of ‘Hustle, a tale of romantic departure embedded in the lyric like a rough diamond. Throughout, the songs draw on themes of voyage, nautical and otherwise, their rich imagery gathered in a wide net by new band member and lyricist Ben Bickerton.

Musically, Tunng deliver a synthetically reinforced lyricism that is as fresh and quixotic as ever – with Lindsay's clean acoustic guitar set against Phil Winter's electronics, rockish guitar, electro-pop synths and a guest brass quartet. Propelled by sharp, melodic pop hooks, ‘Sushimi’ features brittle electronic beats, spiky new wave guitar and wacky prog synths, while rockier dynamics carry ‘Don't Look Down Or Back’ – sound advice for any freelance adventurer. Around a core as strangely English as a cup of mushroom tea with the local vicar, Tunng’s musical travels range wider than ever.