Ella Guru - 'The First Album' (Banana Recordings) Released 09/08/04

Not to be confused with the painter of the same name, Ella Guru’s “The First Album” is a menagerie of musical instruments and barely audible vocals so quiet that you almost feel like the music should be best enjoyed at ear-straining level and that winding up the volume dial would almost defeat the object. Renowned for their low-key live performances, Ella Guru are whispering up an alt. country storm.

Opening track 'Noisy Insects' is a curious mix of X-Files-themed sound effects and breathy, softly-spoken lyrics, while new single 'Augustas Golden' mimics its rise and fall melody with a mix of bluesy acoustic soul and a background straight out of Zero 7’s 'Simple Things' which is no poor comparison – perhaps the Gurus could enjoy the same success.

In a shock uptempo offering, 'My Favourite Punk Tune' betrays the laidback tone, with Reeves-and-Mortimer-style vocals over clashing guitars, before the lamenting 'This Is My Rock and Roll' returns swiftly to their melancholy approach. And just when the dust has settled, the rootin-tootin 'Wonderful' crashes into life, its frantic beat and country feel marking territory as one of the high points of the album so far.

But it’s the ethereal 'Blues is the Root' which has the potential to really stand out, despite its whimsical, lullaby vocals being shattered halfway through by a raging crash of instruments – having acknowledged the harmonious synchronicity of the shared male-female vocals which characterise the album, this is the one track which could benefit from a solo performance.

Not for those who like it loud, 'The First Album' is packed with refreshing musical arrangements and endless possibilities of sound, mostly thanks to a startling lineup of instruments – the cornet, ukelele and pedal steel to name but a few. It’s not an instant smash, but for those who appreciate the finer-tuned things in life, it could be a grower.