Illyah Kuryahkin

By the time Dean Wilson's whispery voice appears in the opening bars of Thirtycabminute's "Blackpower," you know you're listening to a radically different record than 1997's Count No Count. Realised in his Chelsea apartment, Thirtycabminute is a confident step in the right direction for Wilson, whose debut was oft-lost in static and white noise. Here, the songs stand out and the vocals are even audible most of the time, which was certainly not the case on the last album. Thirtycabminute is atmospheric pop to say the least, and much of it is in a whole new atmosphere of its own making. Wilson employs some jazzy instrumentation, thereby dodging any possible indie-pop tags, as Doug Weiss, Daniel Carter and Dylan Williams join Wilson on upright bass, horns and viola respectively. Proving once again that home digital recording is quickly becoming "the new 4-track," Dean Wilson steers clear of his lo-fi past, providing a lengthy sonic pleasure with Thirtycabminute.