Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions 'Through The Devil Softly'

I was a pretty devout Mazzy Star fan back in the 1990s. As was the way in those days, I would scan the news pages in the NME each week in the hope of reading about a new release from David Roback and Hope Sandoval. Only three records ever came of course, but they were perfect. A mix of folk, blues, acoustic ballads and psychadelia with Sandoval's warm, golden voice purring over the top. They never recorded a bad track, let alone a bad record.

Since they split, Sandoval has made one record with The Warm Inventions, the slightly disappointing 'Bavarian Fruit Bread', but nothing has been heard from her in seven years. Now she returns with, what else but, more of the same. Sandoval has been making the same record for near on twenty years, why on Earth would she stop now?

'Through The Devil Softly' is a record out of time in many ways. It has nothing to do with any current fashions or trends and it is wholly unsuited to the present vogue for listening to music 'on the go'. You'd no more want to listen to this on the tube or while walking round town on your lunchbreak than you would feel inclined to beat yourself over the head with a stick; it'd be pointless. This is a record that demands to be listened to without distractions, to be wallowed in and hypnotised by.

The sound is luxurious. Slide guitar, piano, cello and of course acoustic guitar create a rich, shimmery landscape and of course Sandoval sings beautifully. The record moves at such a languorous pace that you are often completely unaware of which track you are listening to or how near the start or end of the record you are. Only when something unexpected happens, such as the vaguely strident drum roll at the opening of 'Trouble', do you jolt back to the present.

Highlights? The low bass rumble of 'The Rest Of Your Life' with spooky glockenspiel and Sandoval's singing as cold as ice, the delicate acoustics of 'Lady Jessica and Sam', probably the most 'Fade Into You'-sounding of any track here and the incredible finale 'Satellite' which opens with the sound of lapping waves and then comes on like a fuzzy, distorted torch song from the end of the world.

People talk about albums becoming un-necessary in this world of instant downloads, but this record is a clear example of why they are talking rot. Buy this album, switch off the lights, disconnect the phone and turn off all distractions and allow it to wash over you. Gentle, soothing and in it's own way, spectacular.

9.3

['Through The Devil Softly' is out now on Nettwerk. Sandoval plays Queen Elizabeth Hall on 8 November]