Red + Yellow = annoys me. It’s not just that completely non-sensical title either, frustrating though it is. Instead it’s an eight-track collection of wildly inconsistent output, verging from masterpiece to dirge throughout the 45 minute running time. When he’s good, he’s very good; but when the inevitable troughs of quality appear you find yourself wondering why you even bothered.

Opener ‘Clap Hands’ is one such masterpiece, building up from a combination of beats and hand claps (the clue’s in the name) and gradually adding layers until Jones comes in with his off-beat delivery. This is when the album is showing promise and potential, as well as a well-executed experimental edge. It’s the tracks such as ‘Rage’ which grate, where the listener is treated to a few minutes of intermittent noise and vocals. When there are only eight tracks on an album, it seems somewhat rude to fill some of those with songs like this.

The follow-up ‘New Note’ is equally as disappointing, especially as it represents approximately one-fifth of the album’s running time. It’s as if Jones has left the microphone on while they move equipment around in the studio, before settling down to break us back in gently with the gorgeous instrumental ‘Conception, Consumption and Radiation’.

It’s strange that the decision was made to include some instrumental filler tracks in the middle of what was starting to resemble a very good album indeed, especially when it’s Jones’ voice which is the best instrument of them all. Denis is blessed with the kind of hypnotic drawl which occasionally makes Cherry Ghost so mesmerising to listen to, but backed up with experimental guitar work and loops it’s definitely an album worth sticking with.

A few (minor) grumbles aside, Red + Yellow = is, for the most part, one of the most engaging and different releases of the year to date. Just don’t expect it to be easy.