Captive State take their name from a George Monbiat book, and on their way to a first single release the octet have impressed Brian Eno with their sonic pictures.
No doubt he was impressed with the brassy colouring applied to China White Doll, the second of four songs that struggles with initial fragility before breaking in to a refrain of some depth.
A lightly elegiac air hangs also over first song Mona, seemingly a paean of tender remembrance, given with gorgeous harmonies and unexpected key changes. Weatherman finds a beat as it tells a wistful story over a brooding sonic picture, the brass returning once again.
Finally Lost, another track beginning with vulnerability and asserting itself through the first chorus - more of a straight ahead rock sound, but convincing all the same when the brass return for a blissful coda.
There is another feather in the Captive State hat - a refreshing unpredictability that hints sometimes at XTC but evades capture. It bodes well for their debut album.
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