Before you read this review you need to click HERE. Or HERE. or HERE. Now, while you wait for Jai Agnish‘s ‘Awake When You Dream’ to download, you can read what it’s all about.

Armed with his computer, an acoustic guitar and an 80’s synth, New Jersey native Jai Agnish set out to record an album free from machines. Occasionally joined on sweet harmonies by Peg Carlin, the album treads a familiar path, producing a particularly American sound. The harmonies and melody of opener ‘New Parade’ and closer ‘An American’ come on like a more up-beat Red House Painters, sans reverb.

Agnish is a friend of the Asthmatic Kitty Label, and Danielson Famile, and it shows. A sense of playful innocence pervades this release. The multi-tracked harmonies sooth and present little in the way of a challenging listen, but rather provide a warm, intimate experience. At places the reliance on the old eighties synth sound lets him down, as on ‘Walls’, where one can’t help feel would benefit from a fuller production. Whether dealing with his feelings on a visit to connect with heritage in India (‘This journey’s been sanitised’) or telling fantastical tales to his 2 year old nephew on Lightning Bugs there is an amiable warmth on display here. Eschewing the standard man-with-guitar rhythms pays dividends here, as the layers of the guitar play together in harmony in a way that lifts this from simple singer songwriter territory.

Best of all, by now the record is probably stored safely on your hard drive, so you can see for your self. I would suggest if the likes of Half Hand Cloud or Wolf Colonel and their K record’s ilk could do a lot worse than download this record. After all, what have you got to lose?

If you do download the record, please feel free to post your reactions below.

As for me I’ll give it a solid, enjoyable…
72%

Jai Agnish on MySpace