Reviewed by Ben Hurrell

April33 is the solo project of Leicester¹s Joe Hawkins and he describes its sound as a mixture of "chilled out trip-hop beats and dirty Sabbath-style riffs", though on this - their debut - it is an '80s goth feel that shines through. The songs are characterised by a downtempo mixture of pianos and synths with distorted guitars and bass, with the programmed drums often sounding more Human League than Massive Attack. The vocals are mostly reminiscent of Depeche Mode while many of the tracks feature sampled spoken voices. At times distorted guitars take centre stage and the singer takes a Sisters Of Mercy-tinged style. While the combination is appealing, these 12 tracks are sorely let down by bad recording and a lack of variation. It is only really on the brooding "Have Mercy" and instrumental "Meaningless" that Aprill33's potential for melancholic '80s pop starts to shine. Certainly an artist to look out for in the future, but this release just seems too much too soon.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.