Hayden Thorpe - 'Aerial Songs'

8/10

Since the disbandment of his formative outfit Wild Beasts some years ago now, frontman Hayden Thorpe was quick to cement himself as a solo act within his own right. After a series of bright and forward-thinking offerings in recent years, he showcased his distinct talents on last year's debut album 'Diviner', a record that saw him both move away from the Wild Beasts sound and develop his integrity as a fully form act. Now a year later he returns with a far more compact offering in the form of 'Aerial Songs', a three-track EP that shows us he hasn't stopped experimenting just yet.

While 'Diviner' had this clear and cohesive vision in place throughout its runtime, you only need to hear the first two tracks on 'Aerial Songs' to realise that he is definitely looking to try something different for his next incarnation. While the EP's opener and lead single 'Blue Crow' sees him create a warm and wistful, but largely organic, direction throughout, the second cut 'Head On A Platter' shows him turn his attention to an electronic aesthetic, all while maintaining his sweet and lofty flow from start to finish. Giving us a far more eclectic and diverse release than we could have expected.

It certainly feels that Hayden Thorpe is looking to venture into unknown territory very soon, and these three singles are an attempt to test the waters and see what sticks for his audience. Each beautiful in there own way, 'Aerial Songs' is a short but inspired collection that brings so much innovation into just an eleven minute EP.

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