Patience is a virtue for The Invisible

I first discovered The Invisible supporting the sadly-missed Doves at Warrington's Parr Hall a couple of months prior to their debut being unleashed. Being an imposing presence, Dave Okumu literally dominated the stage, playing the entire duration of the set wearing a full-length coat. I found myself really warming to their sound; both complex and yet mellow.

For this album, the band have employed the vocal talents of several different guest singers alongside Okumu's trademark relaxed vocal; Jessie Ware (on opener "So Well"), Rosie Lowe (on "Different"), Anna Calvi (on "Love Me Again") and Connan Mockasin (on "K Town Sunset"). It's a successful marriage. "So Well" is a killer track which fades in with an almost-midnight feel, and when that chord change comes crashing in during the chorus as Ware delivers the knockout line "always thought I knew you so well", it feels exactly right. Though there's no major uplift in volume during the choruses, the song just slowly develops into a fitting crescendo.

Throughout the album, tracks such as "Best Of Me" and in particular "Memories" deliver music which wouldn't be at all out of place in a club setting, though we're talking more light night floor fillers than punch the air Ibiza anthems. A mention should also be made of the production across the entire record - time has clearly been spent here, and the attention to detail adds something really special. Take "Memories" - in its most basic form, it's effectively a four chord loop, but the production lifts it up several notches.

During the verses in "Different", it sometimes feels like there are a dozen instruments all vying for attention, yet the track never feels cluttered or too busy. Instead, the instrumentation feels measured; rather than using several notes on a single instrument, there are stabs from all manner of them among lively but inobtrusive percussion.

If you're expecting a record which really takes off, Patience probably isn't it, but its downtempo, late night charms aren't hard to find (especially if you chuck it on headphones).