And Then There Was This Sound

All songs written by Leo Robinson. Performed by Leo Robinson, Matthew Brown, Sian Matthews, John Hancell, Kiran Leonard & John Burgess. Recorded by Matthew Brown and Leo Robinson. Mixed and mastered by Matthew Brown. - - - - - - - Beginning life as the bedroom project of multi-disciplinary artist Leo Robinson - a specialist in the kind of hushed, evocative recordings which bring to mind the intimacy of well-loved acts like The Microphones and Thanksgiving - Cult Party has quickly blossomed into one of the most respected bands working out of Manchester. Recorded last year with a close-knit group of friends, including Moshi Moshi Records' signee Kiran Leonard, And Then There Was this Sound follows on from Leo's last full-length effort, the long sold out, Eternal Love & The Death of Everything. The new album was composed and recorded at the same time as Leo, who also works as a visual artist, was busy readying artwork for his debut solo show at the Tiwani Gallery. With his creativity at a peak, and ideas humming around his head, Leo and his band have produced a rich follow-up album with its eyes very much to the sky. Brimming with energy, inventiveness and positivity, it's a master-class in taut songwriting and economical arrangement. Buoyed by the assistance of some of the best musicians in Manchester, Leo's guitar playing delivers a transcendental, meditative quality, adding weight to a suite of beautifully arranged and generously orchestrated songs. Alongside a minimal set-up of guitar, vocals, organ, cello, violin and percussion, Leo's baritone croon intones a sequence of emotionally expressive lyrics, veering from free-associative poetry to intimate confessionals. All of this adds up to a wonderfully warm record that spans four tracks and over forty minutes of music, inviting you into the world of its creator. RIYL Thanksgiving, Sufjan Stevens, The Microphones, Daniel Johnston, Bill Callahan