Leverton Fox

Judging by looks alone, on first glance Country Dances could be the next alt-country hit. Delving deep into Leverton Fox's sound world, however, reveals a beast far removed from anything alt or country. For their debut release, this trio of London, UK improvisers have unleashed a hydra-headed song cycle that fuses synthetic electronics with acoustic instruments, mainly drums and trumpet. Country Dances is an intricate assemblage of sounds, a hyper-real adventure in texture. The earlier, mostly electronic tracks feature great fountains of sound exploding from unknown sources. In contrast, "Spectre & Wagon" and "The Spume" are rife with fluid, almost funky, drumming courtesy of Tim Giles. Country Dances is a vibrant record, as colourful sonically as the cover art is visually. Its appealing fusion of aspects both synthetic and organic provides a highly rewarding listening experience.