Chris Taylor-Ashcroft has produced a string of luscious indie pop gems over the past few years. A talented singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist with an evolving band of highly accomplished musicians, the latest offering under his ‘Sleuth’ moniker continues in a similarly impressive manner.
‘First To Leave, Last To Go’ blends mesmerising swirled effects with a memorable keyboard melody, which underpins the intriguingly mysterious lyric. Ably assisted by Sleuth stalwarts Daria Tomalak (bass, vocals) and Carl Bayliss (drums, vocals) the real beauty of the track emerges on the second or third listen; as effortless, intricate layers unexpectedly come to the fore.
Having already been aired by Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson on 6 Music, the Wolverhampton/Worcestershire act have recently caught the ear of Andrew Marston at BBC Introducing, with regular spins on his show over the past few months. The ‘Sleuth sound’ faintly echoes the fanciful work of the likes of Ben Folds and Tim Burgess; a highly recommended listen for fans of clever, inventive indie pop. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before we have the opportunity to hear these songs performed in a live environment again.
By: Terence Stomp