"Your Anchor" is a subtly great record. It's the sort of album that sneaks up on you. Concise and to the point, it is over before you know it. But, but, when it IS over, you realise that it was quite an enjoyable ride. Its intelligent textures and measured ways are very impressive. This album is the work of Danny Seim, the drummer from Menomena, and here he goes under the name of Lackthereof. In fact, this concept predates Menomena by several years and this is apparently the ninth album to gain a release. Although the first to get a more widespread release, under the auspices of Barsuk Records. Hopefully, this impressive piece of music will gain Seim's creation a wider audience and respect. It certainly deserves to.

The most impressive aspect of "Your Anchor", I believe, is its continuity. The ten songs, most never reaching 3 minutes, dovetail beautifully into each other. As each song contains a beautifully rendered texture, they also combine to create a gorgeous tapestry of sound. Seim, playing all the instruments, uses drums and keyboards to make little delights of joy. As with Menomena, you receive music that is danceable, yet also mournful and melancholic. This is ably demonstrated on one of the stand out tracks, "Choir Practice", which features punchy drumming and sparse instrumentation. Another highlight is "Last November", probably the catchiest song on the album. My favourites though, would have to be the dark and mysterious "Ask Permission" and the stunningly beautiful "Vacant Eyes", which features a deep and throbbing bass line. To round the album off, we are left with a cover of The National's "Fake Empire". Naturally, it is hard to match the efforts of Mr Berninger, but it is an interesting take and a worth while one too. "Your Anchor" won't shatter any ceilings, but it is a beautifully put together album, full of soul and heart and fierce intelligence. Perhaps, a hidden gem of 2008.

MP3: Choir Practice-Lackthereof