8/10

After releasing her brilliant sixth studio album 'Semper Femina' last year, Laura Marling has looked to be on the edge of a reinvention these last couple of years. And now teaming up with Tuung's Mike Lindsay to form the collaborative project LUMP, the pair seem comfortable in each other's presence as their unveil their self-titled debut album.

From the start, 'LUMP' likes to see itself as an eclectic affair. Rather than sticking religiously to the minimal, stripped-back format of most singer-songwriter projects, the duo have tapped into their mutually experimental nature and delivered something with a far more atmosphere than most, making for a genuinely intriguing release. Their use of ambient sound and mild electronics, alongside Marling's identifiably swooning vocals, has set a distinction between their familiar guises and what this new endeavour represents.

It seems that LUMP has been created as a way for both of them to really stretch themselves musically. While the record only manages seven tracks in length, the compact and brief nature of the album only adds to its power. Rather than whimper away, it stands tall and delivers a wonderfully powerful experience that suits the respective directions of these two to a tee.