Italian trio Girl With The Gun formed in their homeland back in 2006 as a duo. Matilde Davoli and Andrea Mangia (aka Populous) joined to create a psychedelic/electronic folk project, combining two rich musical histories into one new exciting partnership, which includes Davoli’s devotion to the electric guitar and indie pop and Mangia’s past as the fresh, experimental electronica outfit Life & Limb.

Following their ethereal self-titled debut in 2008, the duo met drummer Andrea Rizzo in 2010, with the new, improved and expanded Girl With The Gun now ready to release their lush, rich and all encompassing second LP Ages four years on. Largely a triumph, it exhibits a matured and seasoned expansion to their apparitional brand of electronic based indie-pop.

Ages had a long gestation period, during which the band absorbed a vast amount of diverse inspiration. The result is a literate and well educated sound which draws upon swathes of musical approaches; however, the melancholic and celestial backbone stays strong throughout. It ‘s this quality that makes Girl With The Gun so very special; they master an intangible quality which tickles the bottom of your spine and could send the most serious of insomniacs into a pleasant slumber. It’s music for bedtime (a compliment, not a criticism), music to melt into, beautiful, cushioning and encircling music for the dying embers of a heavy night out, something that can make the severest of hangovers just bearable.

Beginning the record, “Only Twice” includes angelic harps, soothing vocals and a shimmering quality present throughout the entirety of the album. Its soft start sets the bar for the remainder of the LP, one suitable for a kaleidoscopic scene from a spaced out Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Distorted keys from “Hold On For Cues” are juxtaposed with the ever-floaty voice of Matilde Davoli and the eclectic mix of sounds exhibit the vast well of influences that the band draw from. “Love Far” sees the arrival of Caribbean references with a slowly pulsating bassline and fragile, tangled guitar sections inherent, similarly utilised on “At All”, a soft indie lullaby. Finally “Echo Alone” reverberates a shoegaze influence that was evident on their debut with a collaboration with Slowdive’s Simon Scott.

All in all, it’s a brilliant second coming. The impalpable quality throughout shows just why the outfit’s brand of epic, electronic indie has been so well received – if you’re a fan of all things ethereal, it’s a must listen.