Julia Holter - Tragedy (CD, CD, Double vinyl LP)

All I bloody hear is Julia Holter this, Julia Holter that. I can't even get on the bus without someone or other murping on about her as the new face of female experimental pop. Well you can hardly call this pop but it's a thoroughly engaging listen from start to end. Re-released as it was meant to be (the original vinyl edition was an abridged version) so you get to listen to the album as it was intended! The music is based around an old Greek play 'Hippolytus' (hence the album being called Tragedy I guess!). The first track is just great. It starts off with some weird glitchy humming and then you get some strange old radio broadcasts cut up before the dreamy vocals kick in and 5 minutes in you're into a dark pop opus with some of the strangest music arrangements I've heard in a while. You'll be taken on a quirky journey of ethereal and experimental cosmic pop which is unlike anything else you've heard before. This is one of those albums which needs to be listened to from start to end. Don't pick at it. Play it from start to end and you'll be enchanted!

I'm glad I absorbed the vinyl version of this first as the CD is longer and sounds like a more complete album,which would leave the vinyl sounding slightly inadequate by comparison had I heard both formats in reverse order.I did the old 'listening to the album on my ipod in bed in the dark pre-sleep' thing with this last night,a rare accolade indeed as I'm more of a 'dvd in bed pre-sleep' kind of chap and few albums have been given this hallowed treatment,but I wanted to block out all other sensory intrusions to get the most out of my listening experience.The results were staggering.What I had previously considered to be a truly great album has now entered an exclusive masterclass.I was profoundly moved at several points during my listen and despite having been lulled into that hazy bliss that comes just before R.E.M. sleep by the end of it,I was compelled to listen to the whole thing over again.

In a time when there really is a huge amount of great and original alternative music being released, this album dwarfs (most of) the competition.

An instant admission to my all-time top ten albums of any description and an unforgettable moment in my own personal listening history.6 stars out of 5,no messin'.