The Return of The Blue Nile

I was quite pleasantly surprised to see that The Blue Nile had a new record coming out today - their first since 1996 - because I hadn't heard anything about it. This Scottish trio are the masters of understated, mellow, melancholic electronica. I was a fan from the get-go, having bought their debut 12" Tinsletown In The Rain 20 years ago. The key to their musical approach is minimalism - the arrangements, the vocals, the lyrics and the melodies are all very minimal. I love Paul Buchanan's croon - his quivering delivery fits so well with the music. Soul Boy is a typically mellow tune, with languid guitars and atmospherics laid over an almost hip hop beat - a nice way to update sound their unique sound. It's fantastic, and after 20 years in the business that's pretty impressive. Their minimalism may not be for everyone, but it's worth a listen anyway...