Matinee Orchestra Matinee Orchestra — n/t

Matinee Orchestra's first album conjures up wonderful images of childhood stories, England’s rolling green landscape and the comfort of your bed as a child, tucked in tightly, listening to birds peacefully sing, as they lull you off to sleep.

It’s described by Andrew Hodson (who is Matinee Orchestra) as a laptop album, but it feels the most organic, un-laptop album you can imagine, leaving you with a warm glow each time, your mind plays through its rich sound fields.

The Matinee march, is heady with chanted Beatles-like harmonies, sailing high with cello majestic's. More elements are added in like strings and guitar, it’s like drifting peacefully towards a sparkling land, or that feeling when everything goes right. Pray, Rock, Stone, Paper Scissors starts off with a music box like melody charged with childhood wonder, airy with female sighs, again Hodson builds up enchanting layers of instrumentation, which will take your breath away. It’s a fantasy world, everyone has the right to protest even if no one listens marries brassbands, soothing strings, beautiful melodies and some great natural ambience, which almost makes you feel like your sitting in a green field by a babbling stream, tucking into a picnic full of all your favourite foods.

I can’t think I’ll come across such a beautiful and heart felt album for the rest of this year. I know it’s very early in the year, but I guarantee this will make my end of the yearlist. Go and treat yourself to some audiowarmth.