Marconi Union are rightly regarded as one of the UK’s finest purveyors of ambience, but ‘Ghost Stations’ should boost their reputation still further. Their ninth album, it is made up of just four tracks, but each of these unwind and progress in a way that is at once incredibly reassuring but also stimulating. There is a case for saying the opener is one of their finest bits of work to date, and it has an underlying tension that is gradually released. The mellow tones of Digitonal’s Andy Dobson can be heard on clarinet in the consoling 3, while dfgd’s muted trumpet in 1 is also rather lovely. In their work Marconi Union manage to combine a relaxed approach to making music with the surefooted confidence that comes with experience. Their structures are sound and the music beautiful – making ‘Ghost Stations’ one of their best albums yet.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
