Album: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont - Twilight

It was only six months ago that Hifi Sean and David McAlmont released their Daylight album. A fine disc of summery dance pop that was enough to put the spring in anyone’s step.

Now, however, it’s time for the comedown and its soundtrack, the considerably more laidback Twilight is already being touted by vocalist, David McAlmont as the duo at their best. A claim that is well worth taking seriously, rather than dismissing it as new release hype.

Kicking off with a murmured “Daylight becomes twilight / Twilight becomes daylight”, curtesy of The Blessed Madonna, Twilight eases into existence with a wash of relaxed electronica and the sound of waves breaking on a distant beach before McAlmont’s soulful vocals take the reins, proclaiming “I can hear my heart beating like a drum”. From there, the title track comes on like one of The Grid’s more laidback tunes, with its spaced-out electronica enhanced with occasional acoustic percussion, birdsong and the barking of Hifi Sean’s dogs, Fred and Barney.

Elsewhere, there’s the electro torch song of “Uptown/Downtown”, the slow-motion pop of “Sorry I Made You Cry”, which has more than a sniff of a chilled out Shirley Bassey in McAlmont’s singing, before Sean and David hit upon “Goodbye Drama Queen”: a tune with something of the Pet Shop Boys’ collaboration with Dusty Springfield, if somewhat more calmed down.

The final strait, after a plea on “Equinox’s Children” for “Won’t someone please switch on the moon?”, is considerably more trippy, with wafts of psychedelic guitar flavouring the minimalist “High With You” and the woozy shuffle of “Nightdrive”. At which point, the duo swan dive into unconsciousness with “Sleeping Pill” and finally sink into deep slumber with the musique concrete vibe of “Sirens”, which has The Blessed Madonna taking us back to the beginning as she again intones “Daylight becomes twilight / Twilight becomes daylight”.

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