Ok everyone, see if you can spot where the band and album name comes from. Dave Heumann and Nathan Bell (anyone got it yet?) have teamed up to make an album of delicate, emotive guitar music, where nothing is rushed and everything is given space to breath and to build naturally. Bringing to mind the early work of Quickspace, this is music where repetition is not considered a bad thing, rather a way of enforcing the ideas at play and leading the listener fully into the sounds being created. At times, it can almost feel oppressive, rather like being sat on a chair in the middle of the room and having Human Bell circling you with their instruments, shooting you occasional dirty look as they play and jabbing you with their guitar necks when you begin to look bored. Starting with 'A Change in Fortunes', this is very much an album for winter, similar to Seventeen Seconds by The Cure, double lines of music weaving in and out of each other. It’s a long piece, but sucks you in despite its repetitive nature, where guitars are picked and strummed in equal measure. 'Splendour and Concealment' is more open, heavy pauses between the twang and hum before the tempo rises halfway through into a morbid hoe-down. 'Hymn America' is short, but where the album starts to build with the pulse of percussion and a more dramatic edge. Â The standout piece is 'Hanging From The Rafters' ”“ it’s the sort of song you best settle down with a cup of tea for, as it’s long and deserves your attention, with a pitter-patter of drums and criss-crossing guitars. Album closer 'The Singing Trees' starts with fuzzed up sounds that take you back into a more electric, beefier cousin of the title track. There are no words on this album, no lyrics or vocalists. Instead, melodies and emotions by the truckload, music to cause a diversion and stop you in your tracks, compelled to listen. 77%Links Human Bell [myspace]