Now they reside at Genepool, and seem to have unplugged a few things. For while You Are Here does feature some subtly integrated synthesizer effects, it majors on acoustically-driven examples of songwriting.

It's a grower, too. On the first listen nothing especially remarkable stands out about their sound, their tunes, or their lyrics, mostly softly sung. Not too promising, you might think. Gradually that perception alters, subsequent hearings bringing out an easy charm, the songs starting to stick in the listener's head.

It's at this point the other delights of the record start to be revealed. Tell Me, with its airy pizzicato strings lazily flicking in the background. The brushed piano of Every Light Has Blown wafts in with more than a hint of Keane, but that's swiftly banished by a moving, elegiac vocal, a sign of strength in depth and the most affecting moment on the record.

Not all the songs convince to such a high degree, and the faster music tends not to generate as much momentum as it should. It could be argued that more variety between songs would help, but South are more about continuity as You Are Here progresses, and that would be lost.

At times there are vocal quirks, and The Pain sports an odd, sudden vibrato that comes as something of a shock. But while these and other hints of experimentation occur, they ultimately detract from the overall mood and the group's stronger qualities - an air of assured grace being the primary strength.

To describe South as medium paced, quite soft pop music makes them sound as dull as dishwater. But the reality is far more interesting, and where the songs work, they leave an understated emotional footprint that brings the listener back. Music for the occasionally moody, easy to listen to - it's a good mix.

share:  Facebook | Digg | del.icio.us | more

Mercury Prize 2009 nominees