Reviewed by Lins Honeyman

Under the moniker Atlum Schema, Midlands-based singer/songwriter and author Andy Mort's unique brand of music has recently attracted the attention from the likes of BBC 6 Music's Tom Robinson and, on the strength of this four-disc limited edition box set, it's not hard to see why. Containing 16 songs split into each of the year's seasons in true Vivaldi style, this is an intriguing body of work that defies categorisation and showcases the sublime ingenuity of an artist very much in touch with his own creativity. Stylistically, Mort's work contains traces of Pink Floyd - especially in the 'Winter' disc's opener "Lonely Boy" - whilst a reliance on loops and repeated phrases hint at Mike Oldfield/Brian Eno influences. Although there is an over-arching melancholy about proceedings with Mort's plaintively emotional vocals and song titles such as "Trapped In The Basement", "Forget Me" and the aforementioned "Lonely Boy" touching on separation and abandonment, Mort's obvious ear for a good melody and his impressive musical and production skills ensure that this is a release that constantly delights and surprises whilst never falling into the trap being too downbeat for too long. In terms of the overall theme, part of the attraction of 'One World Less' is the fact that Mort keeps things open to interpretation - any references to the Christian faith are well hidden - and even the partitioning of songs into the seasons of the year is fluid enough to allow this deft and intrinsically creative piece of work - which also comes with a book and associated artwork. In short, 'One World Less' offers up something new with every listen.

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.

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