Enveloped by lush orchestration, and wistful vocals, J Chucher's debut album Borderland State portrays a love of cinematic scores coupled with hushed vocals. Having recorded various parts himself over a two-year period, it wasn’t until meeting London-based producer Dreamtrak that things fell into place and the album began to take real shape...

There's a distinct '80s vibe running through J Churcher's new album, Borderland State. In fact, in places, I could almost be fooled into believing this was an unreleased Simple Minds or O.M.D. album. It's an album that will wash over you, leaving a lasting impression. Listen to it just once and return to it days later and you'll be convinced that songs like 'Last Summer' you've known for years. For me, it dredged up a lot of nostalgia of school discos and teenage parties - even though the music is extremely modern.

This is a beautiful album that once you hear you'll be hooked by. It contains 11 songs (42 min). With highlights including the haunting 'The Boardwalk'; 'Last Summer'; 'Finding Roxanne'; and 'How it Ends'.

9

Nick Smithson