Timothy Blackman: Modern Sprawl (Home Alone)

This lo-fi singer-songwriter recorded the six songs on this impressive EP at his Auckland flat, so as a result he sounds like he's singing in your own home.

Very much in the folk-rock tradition (you can imagine the title track being pumped out by band), Blackman comes of as a melancholy soul on a first hearing, yet there are flickers of optimism and the result is a highly promising collection, made all the more gripping by his broken but passionate singing.

Not an easy listen for most I would guess, but if your taste runs to Daniel Johnston (fear not, Blackman is more tuneful), Elliot Smith (Blackman not quite so darkly imagistic) or even early folksy Neil Young then you'll find this one pretty interesting.