By Russell Barker

The Kamikaze Eyes EP is Ash's low-key follow up to his wonderful album 'I'm Sorry, I'm Lost' that was released on Freedom Road Records earlier this year. While Ash is starting to hone his style with this EP, it still remains wonderfully eclectic as he moves from one thing to another, staying just long enough with one idea to keep it fresh and keep the listener on his toes.

The title track leads off the EP with guest vocals courtesy of Oli from Trademark. It has the resigned air of Blur's 'To The End' right down to the admission that he's been "drinking far too much". He sounds desolate and at his wits end, while the sparse, lush electronic pop carries him home. If Blur's song was the end of the millennium blues, then Ash's ups the ante, proving things aren't much better as we move into the next one.

'Alien' is the sound of early eighties electro pop, before things got selfish and self-centred. It's dreamy and other worldly and thus takes you back to better times. 'Euphoria' has the lightness of Imogen Heap, it gurgles and burps along sweetly. Closing track 'Ave Maria' takes that tune and mixes it with more gurgling noises (we like this by the way!) and is more than a bit reminiscent of Sinead O'Connor.

It's 'Elegy For M' that's the stand out track though. It's six and a half minutes of beautifully sweeping sad strings, with a small burble of electronics underpinning the whole melody. The harmony blissfully plays out for the best part of five minutes and then suddenly more electronics kick in, carrying the tune out.

Go to www.myspace.com/ashverjee to hear more. Send him a message and him may well just send you a copy of this for a small fee.