Saint Etienne conclude their studio recording career with yet another big bang they used us too, with hope that they just might change their mind at some point.

Under the detailed musical embellishments, the listener is able to fathom the concept and the dark tale it is presenting. A thoroughly intriguing album that simply should not go unnoticed.

While the connection with some old masters could be clearly drawn here, there is that current songwriting and production touch to this album that makes it both familiar and brand new at the same time.

Sherwood was able to gather a brilliant crew that was able to execute his musical ideas to a tee, making this album an excellent experience for both devoted Sherwood fans and those who have barely heard of him.

Throughout the seven soundscapes presented here, Tucker firmly remains in the enchanting space, leaving all the mundane traps easily behind him.

She’s Green play these familiar sounds both effectively and gracefully, but they do shuffle them around in a manner that makes that sound quite their own and oh so appealing at the same time.

Gerlach tries to make a detailed sense out of it all and comes out of the process with quite some flying colours, skipping the now standard algorithm music discovering system, making it quite a personal one.

What we get is music that is not only suited for a specific time of day, or a tea ceremony for that matter, but something you can play at any time, along with anything you can drink.

Throughout, Mamode presents the inventiveness of somebody like Tricky when he is fully focused on creating music.

You could easily call this music spiritual dream pop.

It all sounds like musical structures that are at the same time both simple and complex.

It turns out that ‘Laini Tani’ sounds like an experimental album that is so easy on the listener’s ear.

Essentially, we get a meticulously crafted modern avant-pop album that works at every level. Harry seems to be quite a glittering nightgown.

His musical craftsmanship has already reached a level that surpasses so many other debut albums, and you can pick your genre here.

It is Bazarian’s constantly developing songwriting that carries the day, reaching some excellent levels here.

The question remains though, if this album is that good, what will Oakes do when he is not distracted?

Asani was able to transform the inspirational surroundings and the use of field recordings into music that is not just substantial but makes quite a listen.

This turns out to be a continuous, complex but utterly listenable music that has a solid substance and no unnecessary flexing of instrumental capabilities.

It is the bedroom pop lifted from its lo-fi surroundings and placed in the high-quality ones it deserves.

What on the surface plays only as a subdued languid set of jazzy compositions turns out to be a more deep musical delight.

Strangeland just might be that, strange, but is at the same time an intoxicating and endearing listen and a great debut.