While Dublin artist Kevin Nolan is currently hard at work on the sequel to his spellbinding debut Fredrick & The Golden Dawn, this archive-raiding opus is an attempt to sate fans’ thirst for new material. Comprised of 38 tracks recorded from ‘95-’05, the album covers a wide spectrum of styles, with elements of electronica, folk, pop, rock, jazz and more. It all makes for a compelling portrait of one of the country’s most fascinating artists. Sometimes raw (‘Dan The Wildcatter’), often wonderful (‘Come Over Tonight,’ ‘She Left New York’), Absent… is a real treasure trove of sonic treats. The fingerprints of The Kinks and (very) early Marc Bolan can be found, respectively, on ‘So, So Long’ and ‘Just Another Saturday Night’, while the delicious ‘Landslide’ – which sees Nolan duet with his sister Emily – is a crossover hit in the making. In short, a must-listen. OUT JULY 26 

Rating: 8/10