8/10

After originally leaving his formative band The Darcys almost a decade ago, Dave Hurlow has spent much of the last few years working on his new novel Deep Sea Feline. Released near the end of last year, the book has received countless praise and acclaim, allowing Hurlow to express himself and his progressive nature through a new medium. And with the novel still finding new fans to enjoy it, he has returned as Decafwolf to deliver the accompanying new EP 'Ventriloquist', a collection brimming with warm and inviting textures throughout.

While these new songs are meant as a side-piece to his recent written material, 'Ventriloquist' still manages to work as a vibrant listening experience all of its own. Exploring a fresh and quirky aesthetic that sees him revisit those shimmering indie-pop ideals he first made his name with, this new six-track collection sweep and swoons its way along, opening up his proficient direction to unveil some of the more heartfelt efforts of his tenure to date.

Although the project may have been birthed out of an unconventional means, 'Ventriloquist' is one of those rare outings that really add depth and intrigue towards the artist at the helm. A true visionary in every sense, let's just hope Decafwolf has plenty more to offer in the years ahead as well.