Londoner Helene is as interested in the textures of her songs as their words, making this closer to the haunted soundscapes of The Walkabouts'work with Phill Brown [Talk Talk] than the acoustic singer-songwriting ghetto. Collaborating with Owen Turner of guitar mavericks Magoo, Helene's breathy voice sits on arrangements including violins, guitars and glockenspiels, at their best conjuring sinuous fairy tale enchantments. Her lyrics, meanwhile, are daydreams of death, disenchantment and vengeance. If "Murder Can be Necessary"is more petulant sneer than felt, fatal impulse, this is still impressive night music.

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