Bayden Packwood Hine’s earlier releases were more rooted in traditional folk forms which makes this expansion into a beautifully ornate and intimate sound palette even more rewarding. He conjures up pastoral qualities via the instrumentation (woodwind, strings, banjo and many more) and wordless vocal harmonies that bring to mind wind, birdsong and other elements of nature. The opener All Smoke Must Find Its Way Home combines these qualities with an infectious chorus that sets the scene for four other songs equally as engaging. Too often baroque pop music of this kind can come across as overly studied and composed but Packwood has found the perfect balance between the technical, emotional and inventive qualities in his music.

Chris Familton

this review was first published in The Music