Blair Parkes: Blue Cloud (digital outlets)

Multi-instrumentalist/producer Blair Parkes has appeared a number of times at Elsewhere under his own name and as part of Running Club.

He's not easy to pigeon-hole because he has effortlessly shifted ground from dense alt.rock to motorik pop and sometimes an amalgam of those + noise.

This time out with longtime collaborator Miss Mercury (vocals) and bassist Marcus Thomas he announces the album with the excoriating distortion of Mist You which surrounds a piece of otherwise melodic pop from Miss Mercury.

And there's no let-up – in terms of 3D soundscape – on the equally poppy title track.

This is where the sonic density of Jesus and Mary Chain collides head-on with dream pop.

Abrasion comes out on top early on but by the third song Umlaut the corrosiveness is dialed down a bit to reveal a terrific slice of power pop.

Statement made, Blue Cloud then diverts itself into hammering drone-pop (Checking Out), the bouncy girl group-meets-JAMC on Chrystals and the dark but uplifting Be Yourself.

The final song is the fragile Jupiter where Miss Mercury's vocal wavers until the catchy melody arrives and again we are elevated into the world of alt.pop.

Eight songs, only one breaking the three minute mark and some instantly appealing tunes albeit sometimes buried beneath a scree of caustic, wrap-around noise. Give it a couple plays and the strong songs appear above the sensarround sound.

Once again Blair Parkes proves he's always someone to check out.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here.