Sweet Gum Tree release their new album, Sustain the Illusion, through The Orchard / Plastic Head. Following on from 2014's The Snakes You Charm & the Wolves You Tame, Arno Sojo has reshuffled his cards and chosen to record this new album almost entirely on his own, except for the help of Irish producer David Odlum...

I thoroughly enjoyed Sweet Gum Tree's 2014 debut album, The Snakes You Charm & the Wolves You Tame, and so was really looking forward to hearing the new album. Sustain the Illusion is more laid back. Arno Sojo sounds more relaxed and his performance seems fluid and natural as though he's more comfortable in his own skin. This is no doubt partly down to getting a few more years of experience under his belt as well as the fact that this album was pretty much Sojo working on his own, with no other distractions or egos getting in the way of creativity.

Pretty much from the first track you can feel that this is an album you're going to love; that you'll be playing it for quite some time to come.

The LP contains 11 songs (44 min, 38 sec) and it's hard not to be caught up in the infectious sounds of 'Breaking The Bond'; 'Twinkle'; 'Rollercoaster'; and the stripped back 'Keeper'.

Another impressive outing for Sweet Gum Tree. This is certainly one you should be adding to your music library.

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Nick Smithson