Hailing from Bristol, Rob Sharples finds himself releasing his most recent EP on Marrakesh Records, the brainchild of Lizard King co-owner Dom Hardistry. It must be a match made in heaven, because this music is just lovely. Production and mixing is helmed by Paul Corkett (Bjork, Placebo, Nick Cave) who gently steers picked guitar arpeggios and heart wrenching strings around Sharples’ sensitive yet yearning voice. The northern star of this vessel is undisputedly opening track ‘So the Story Goes’, in which we find Sharples commenting vividly on the industrialisation of his beloved homeland. Third track ‘The Detail Between Us’ is less universal, focusing more on intimate moments between Sharples and his girlfriend. The backing vocals are skeletal, hanging fragile beneath a much stronger amalgamation of guitar and voice. Contrasting to the rest of the EP, ‘Scratching out the Absolute’ begins as a fond homage to Belle and Sebastian and rises to become a feverous folk ditty. For once, the Nick Drake comparisons are justified.
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