Youth

Youth by Swedish electro trio Simian Ghost is an absolute nu-pop tour de force from start to finish. Already hailed as an early contender for album of 2012 (I know…) I have to say that the hype is justified. By taking a dash of the Polyphonic Spree, a wee bit of Simon & Garfunkel, a smidgeon of The Cardigans and a massive helping of Hot Chip to create their sound, the band have come up with a staggeringly beautiful record full of lush melodies (‘Wolf Girl’) and fascinating musical detours (‘Automation’). You could say that the whole thing is as twee as a Belle & Sebastian convention in a comic shop, but so what? The truth is that you don’t have to don metaphorical oversized glasses and embrace your inner geek to recognise that Youth is a positively adorable record.