Sweet Blue Gene

WITH NO previous knowledge, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but Mickey, after two successive listens, certainly appears to have something. Quite what it is I'm not at all sure, such is the array of styles and delivery - Bono is obviously an influence on 'Just Love Me'.

'The Licensing Song' is a lament for the restricted opening hours of bars, and is based on an Irish melody; 'Auditory Nerves' is acousto-electric industrial noise gone nuts and elsewhere there's even an opening 4 bars of a Jim Reeves song as a piano intro to a gorgeous slow piece. In addition, there are some beautiful string arrangements from Fiona Brice, scattered with care throughout the album.

It may not top the charts, but Sweet Blue Gene is a lovely, elusive thing.