Bleep

The second and final part of the long-awaited vinyl reissues of legendary janglists Felt finally arrives via Cherry Red. For ten years, led by Lawrence, the enigmatic artist only known by that of his first name, Felt gave the world ten near-perfect albums and ten near-perfect singles that have gone to make up some of the most alluringly distinct and unmistakably unique ambient reaching post-punk music to ever be recorded...

Easily the finest moment from Lawrence and co, Forever Breathes The Lonely World contains some of the most cherished recordings from Felt. From the heartwrenching 'Hours Of Darkness Have Changed My Mind' and 'Rain of Crystal Spires' to the cheerily titled 'All The People I Like Are Those That Are Dead', Forever Breathes The Lonely World should be held up alongside albums like Wire's Chairs Missing, Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, and Cocteau Twins Treasure as a guidebook for how to achieve proper post-punk perfection.

Felt's seventh album 'Poem of the River' was originally released in 1987 on Creation Records. Clocking in at 27 near perfect minutes, Poem Of The River showcased an evident love of The Velvet Underground's quieter moments across its six militantly minimalist pop gems. Notable for featuring two firm fan favourites in 'Stained Glass Windows in the Sky' and 'Dark Red Birds', Poem Of The River is a truly classic recording from Felt.

Even by Felt's standards, 'Train Above the City' is quite unlike anything else to emerge from the 1980s janglist cannon. Composed entirely of jazz-influenced instrumentals that were created solely by keyboardist Martin Duffy and drummer Gary Ainge, Train Above The City was one of the few instances where Felt's leader Lawrence's involvement in the creation of a Felt album was exceptionally minimal, to say the least.

Felt's 'The Pictorial Jackson Review' was notable for splitting itself between short indie pop songs of the A-side, and the two instrumentals by keyboardist Martin Duffy that adorned the B. The result was an album as equally inspired by Jack Kerouac's novel Pic as David Bowie's Low, and as such stands as the finest moment of Felt's late period.

Felt's 'Me and a Monkey on the Moon' was to be the final album from the group, originally released in 1989 and unavailable on vinyl since then. Ending the mission on a rather sombre note, the group's trademark organ and guitar sound seem to take on a sort of dead-pan country feel, giving the overall tone a very much moving closer to the horizon feeling. Overall it's a wonderfully catchy selection of tracks, ripe with that Lawrence melancholic twist and a perfect way to bring to a close one of the most important projects of the post-punk movement.

If you have been grabbed by Coil, Kate Bush & Cocteau Twins or recently the Solid Space reissue on Dark Entries, Offen and Stroom than look no further than this for your next hit of undiscovered, 80's eclectism. Existing entirely out of time with the groups and music that made up their surroundings back in the 80s, and praised in mixes by everyone from The Black Dog, Regis, Sleeparchive & Blackest Ever Black. Felt are one of the most incredible, yet criminally unknown groups of the post-punk generation.