The Young Folk’s debut album, The Little Battle, was widely acclaimed. However you immediately sense that their follow up is a far more ambitious beast – and so it proves. On what is a hugely accomplished record, they blend a diverse palette of styles, sounds and influences, adding their own unique take on the form.
The hypnotic, pastoral-sounding title track nicely combines dreamy acoustic textures with Anthony Furey’s crystalline vocals. But there’s even better to come. ‘When Morning Came’ layers a superb melody over a thumping groove to exhilarating effect. Boasting a dramatic drum sound and widescreen textures, ‘Home’ showcases The Young Folks’ potential as festival headliners.
By contrast, a sombre piano backdrops ‘Carry On’ – initially at least. However, the drums soon start pounding and the layered, Edge-like guitars grow louder as the song crescendoes. Meanwhile, ‘Dear, Your Hat’, as the title suggests, is a more whimsical affair that strongly recalls Fionn Regan – although it too eventually morphs into a meaty rocker.
The group offer some pop stylings on ‘Through The Wilderness’, a radio-friendly, ’80s-style tune that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Deacon Blue album. With just acoustic guitar and harmonised vocals, ‘Olivia Leaves’ is the most unalloyed tune here, and it works beautifully, while the closing ballad, ‘This Time Of Year’, is almost Burt Bacharach-like in its melodic construction. An intriguing end to an impressive album.

First Sign Of Morning is out now.