Some refer to James Yuill as ‘laptop folk’, which sounds a bit like he ought to be sitting in a field wearing open toed sandals, eating lentils and occasionally hitting the Enter key on his keyboard. Not surprisingly he’s nothing like that – and though he does use a laptop ‘No Surprise’ sounds like one of Nick Drake’s more upbeat moments. Where Yuill really sets himself apart though is in his ability to cast the song in acoustic or electronic guises. The acoustic version is slightly wistful but cheery, while the electronic mix is the star, a strutting disco-house beat taking him closer to the likes of Cut Copy. This seems to be the direction he’s heading in for the second album – and on this evidence, it can’t come soon enough!
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
