Whisper it, but The Invisible are well on their way to becoming one of our most treasured leftfield pop acts. Their music doesn’t shout and scream, but it has a subtle and lasting power that only improves with every listen. Their skill as producers – Dave Okumu has a lot of previous – also means they know just what electronic clothing to give his voice, and when to complement it with a selection of well chosen guests. These include Anna Calvi on the yearning ‘Love Me Again’, a song that builds very impressively, and Jessie Ware, whose airy contribution to ‘So Well’ establishes the album’s hazy but ultimately sunny mood.
There is an underlying edge to a lot of this music, best captured in ‘Different’, with Rosie Lowe, which talks of how ‘if you wish, thingscould be different for you and me’, while the more energetic ‘Memories’ crackles with atmosphere. ‘Believe In Yourself’ is probably the song that best sums up the album’s understated but confident approach, which makes even more sense when you consider ‘Patience’ was recorded in the wake of a near fatal electric shock suffered by singer Okumu. Here he expresses the sheer relief and freedom of being able to continue as a musician and singer with no restrictions – and that if you are prepared to work hard, success will surely follow. The Invisible have worked hard – and thanks to this inspiring record the next part of the process is surely inevitable.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by: Ben Hogwood
