K Anderson’s debut has been a long time coming. It took the Australian-raised singer-songwriter five years to pen these tracks; he released 2006’s Five Stories and 2008’s Foxes before dance producer RNSTR finally recorded The Overthinker in London at the beginning of the year. While the momentum may seem extravagant this album acts as testament that great things can’t be rushed. The quality here is extraordinary – the songs are combustible, ranging from soulfully passionate to engagingly self-conscious.

Much of the record has been themed around the uncertainties of adulthood: opener ‘This Changes Everything’ describes an old relationship faced with self-realisation, ‘Bulletproof Kids’ forewarns of the perils of growing up and on ‘Same Kind of Grim’ Anderson admits that despite his best attempts to reform, nothing really changes. Musically, the results are as endearing as they are revealing. Anderson skilfully resonates the dangers of childhood naivety outstaying its welcome, and in doing so connects with every 20-something listening. Elsewhere a sense of resignation touches ‘Shrug’ and ‘Don’t Waste Your Arrows’; their comparatively upbeat stylisation makes them seem defiant in nature, whilst the lyrics retain the songs’ adolescent charm.

The Overthinker is as complex in sound as it is in topic. Anderson’s grizzly vocals are by and large an asset, complimenting his songs with a wizened superiority, but on ‘This Changes Everything’ they descend into a territory graced by reality TV show contestants like Lemar and Olly Murs. It’s one of the album’s few downfalls. His choice of instrumentation provides a welcome consolation. He’s trawled the country to bring us hoots and toots from the most amiable of second-hand instruments: the circus-like kazoo, omnichord and accordion all make an appearance, and work best on the simply beautiful ‘Boy In Pearls’.

Defining Anderson’s style is a task in itself. His debut defies any kind of categorisation. Although the first half of the release fits the ‘singer-songwriter’ tag nicely, ‘Don’t Waste Your Arrows’ dashes any chance of pigeonholing The Overthinker as a whole, as it crashes into lo-fi rock in an entirely unexpected chorus. Following track ‘Spoons’ can be paired with ‘Boy In Pearls’ as a fun pop ditty, but ‘Foxes’ and ‘T-Shirt Collection’ are down-and-out ballads, as emotional as they are sincere.

Often albums that try to explain something socially complicated – reflected in topic, sound and style – fall over their own feet and end up in a mess on the floor, but that’s not so with Anderson’s debut. Accomplished and painfully clear, The Overthinker is vast in its awareness and large of heart; you’ll find a good, if regrettably honest friend here.