How anything decent managed to come out of the army town of Aldershot is beyond me. Granted, it does have an arts centre that pulls in the touring bands, but anyone who’s ever played there does seem to be baffled to have pulled an audience in in such an uninspiring place.

But somewhere underneath all the concrete, squaddies, and general small-town mentality, Matthew Hegarty, aka Matthew & The Atlas was gardening by day, and writing rustic folk tunes by night.

To The North opens with the bluegrass stomper ‘I Will Remain’, all handclaps, banjo, and ‘woah-oh-ohs’ in the chorus, and gentle, journeying verses. Matthew’s voice is a blend of a wonderful gruffness and gravel with a warm edge, sounding at times like a weather-beaten blues singer, and others like an older Ray LaMontagne by way of Justin Vernon.

Having just supported Mumford and Sons, it would be easy to lump Matthew & the Atlas in with the current folk trend, but there’s a soulful, more world weary sound than the jangly folksters peddle. ‘Veins of your History’ is a perfect example, using brass and vocals to carry Matthew’s old-before-his-time lyrics.

The depth of the songs, juxtaposed with the tranquility and simplicity of the instrumentation, and Matthew’s cavernous voice paints him as a ‘gentle giant’ type figure – a deep rumble that could soothe a baby to sleep. It’s most definitely the centre piece of all the songs, and matches the lyrics perfectly

To The North flits between a quiet, reflective tone and a more upbeat, present-moment feel. How this will work on a full length album remains to be seen, but judging from this, it’s going to be an absolute gem.