A delicate and tantalizing album this, ‘Ha Ha Sound’ will no doubt be a rare treat for those fans of gentle electronic space-pop. Similar in scope to the works of Stereolab and St Etienne and with an occasional nod in the direction of Lalo Schiffrin, Birmingham three-piece Broadcast present us with a sweeping musical collage that’s just too delicious.

Esoteric, hypnotic and at times downright surreal the album is pure science-fiction poetry. Ghost in the machine Trish Keenan puts her dreamy ethereal vocals to good use, creating a contemplative albeit melancholy mood throughout - a modern day Sandy Shaw or Dusty Springfield. The boys do their part by creating a playful lounge soundtrack reminiscent of sixties French cinema and funk jazz classics. The genius here is not limited to analogue radiophonics though; the beatnik-style percussion and bass sounds are prominent highlights also, setting this project high above the average electronica record.

Ignore the accusations of musical snobbery, elitism or needless experimentation that you might come across in less favourable online reviews; these were obviously written by buffoons attempting to sabotage something truly wonderful, or possibly Nazis. The source of the unease seems to stem from the album’s instrumental content, two tracks ‘Black Umbrellas’ and ‘Distortion’, both of which are but brief excursions into oblique analogue psychedelia. Nothing to get worked-up over here –the combined running time stands at a mere three minutes eight seconds.

Recent single ‘Pendulum’ is the most obvious candidate for best track, by far the poppiest most accessible Broadcast have ever been, but in terms of quality it is by no means alone. A superb collection of post-rock lullabies, the Englishness of it all is palpable and strangely exciting. A definite contender for album of the year. Inspired.

words: Shaun Macartney