After years of experimenting with other bands, it finally feels Evan Wilson has struck gold with latest project Playacting. Like fellow Mancunians Dutch Uncles, Wilson has always been keen to explore atypical time signatures and angular melodies but this is a big leap forward from his previous work in New Hips/Deaf To Van Gogh’s Ear.

Plum Pudding Make Interesting shows real progression in terms of songcraft and overall vision. Get past the awkward song title and you’ll find a joyous creation that playfully dances beneath Wilson’s melancholy vocals. It has an understated ambition, that seems to connect the dots between clever ideas and real emotion.

Phill Young