Minor Birds

The first album in 13 years from the duo of Nicola Hodgkinson and Chris Coyle, formerly two thirds of English trio Empress; the songs on Minor Birds don’t stray too far from the minimal, understated pop songs of their former band, but that’s no bad thing. Nicola’s voice never raises beyond a graceful hush, while guitars pluck simple tattoos, played quietly, piano shadowing the movement of the melody, while organ drones hum in the background. There’s something admirable about both the dogged pursuit of a very personal, intimate vision of pop here, and the pacing and patience, both of the music, and its recording; for New North Wales, nothing is ever forced.