8/10

Ever since he first emerged, Brighton-based Irish singer-songwriter Dessie Magee has always looked to conjure a more emotive direction than many in his field. Taking cues from the more euphoric side of the indie-rock arena, his tenure to date has been filled with broad and shimmering anthems that have all looked to add a more vibrant texture to his ever-growing repertoire of late. And with a flurry of releases in recent years, he recently returned to deliver his eagerly-awaited new album 'The Flat Circle', a record that builds upon his dynamic legacy to date.

Unlike many that look to adopt a lovelorn direction, Dessie Magee takes us on a varied and diverse journey across this new LP. Flipping back and forth between sombre ballads and a more vigorous approach to both pace and production, 'The Flat Circle' instantly sets itself up as one of his most explorative efforts to date. Creating this wildly adventurous aesthetic from start to finish, his newest endeavour finds him in a strong and confident guise that looks to push his progressive songwriting as far as it will go.

While these last few years have certainly been a busy and prolific time within his career, 'The Flat Circle' still manages to leave a lasting impression on his ever-evolving catalogue. Brimming with this innovative intent that sprawls the length of his latest full-length, Dessie Magee takes the foundations of his sound and rekindles them in fine fashion from beginning to end.