David Hurn

David Hurn’s three-song EP starts out as a singer-songwriter cliché — soft-strummed guitar, mouth too close to the microphone, semi-profound lyrics — and quickly becomes very good. How I Came to Hate My Saviour is rich, bittersweet and atmospheric, combining singer-songwriter intimacy with beautiful, somewhat grandiose instrumental effects. Though the varied ideas at work could have sprung from a group effort, it still sounds personal. The centrepiece, "Frosk,” is an instrumental that carries and develops the sad ambience established by its predecessor. While any singer’s attempt at an instrumental is a precarious ordeal, Hurn avoids experimental wanking and chooses his sound effects decorously. "Oh Poland” serves the finale — another sung ballad that is softer than the first. The same ornamentation glows in the background, but the focus here is on Hurn’s sad, multi-tracked vocal — arguably, it is the best track of the three and a beautiful, cryptic ending. How I Learned… is moody and sophisticated, and overall a terrific balance between deft composition and snug, confessional delivery. Ideally it could be stretched into a full-length, but this is an undeniably good taster. I’m sold.