It’s incredibly cool to be labelled neo-folk at the moment — with Tunng blazing the way as folk pioneers and former electronic artists such as Fink taking roots to a whole new audience of tripped-out clubbers — and if it’s cool that counts then Thief merit the label.

Sunchild pulls you in straight away with the lush full production of the sorts that makes great producers - and great production has always gone hand in hand with Jazzanova. Thief’s inclusion on the Jazzanova’s recent Secret Love (A View On Folk) compilations was a precursor to the album, and although I’m still not sure if this any more folk than The Beta Band (who are given a nod on Sunchild more than once) or 4 Hero, they were solid forays into the world of acoustic cool.

Sunchild is produced by the formidable Jazzanova team Extended Spirit (Axel Reinemer and Stefan Leisering) and fronted by Sasha Gottschalk’s vocals with some well chosen guest artists in the form of Clara Hill and Georg Levin’s backing vocals and Paul Kleber’s double bass work, and as mentioned earlier, it’s the production and attention to detail that really make this album.

Title track ‘Sunchild’ is a mellow way into an album which does mellow in style. Guitars are joined by strings and some electronic beeps, so we know what we’re dealing with here. ‘Atlantic’ has something of Steely Dan in its vocals, that jazz ethic coming in and ‘Hold on, Hold on’ with its weaving vocals and driving beats and Beatlesesque Magical Mystery Tour 60s feel is one you’ll want to play over and over.

Although the album tails off a little mid-way through, playing on obscure chord changes too often, and the music washes over the listener in waves, it has that cut above quality that keeps it in the ‘must listen to more’ pile.

Sunchild is released on 26 March on Sonar Kollektiv and neo-folk or whatever, it’s well worth looking out. Cat no. SK135CD.

Links:
www.sonarkollektiv.com
www.jazzanova.net