8/10

When HONNE first exploded onto the scene last year, the response to their sound was a mixture of elation and puzzlement. While it was no question an incredibly engaging sound, many had trouble defining their place on the musically spectrum, eventually opting for new romantic influence backed with modern production. And now the pair have released their debut album 'Warm On A Cold Night', and what an album it is.

Opening with an MC style introduction, the record plays almost like a lounge act in an upmarket nightclub. You begin to picture frontman Andy Clutterbuck pouring his heart out on a stage in front of a captivated, seated crowd who spend each and every song staring up at him in awe. The band's sound is so definitive that when singer Izzy Bizu joins them on the track 'Someone That Loves You', it almost takes you by surprise. Showing that their core dynamic is so focused, any outside contribution seems alien to it.

And while their sound may be an acquired taste, this new album is simply magnificent from start to finish. A cohesive and driven sound throughout is obviously the result of years of trial and error, a long process but one with a fantastic outcome.