The Velvet Cell offers a mouth-watering preview for Gravenhurst's second full length release on Warp, Fires In Distant Buildings, released next month, and is the Bristol band's first new material since last year's well received Black Holes In The Sand mini-album.

The brainchild of singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Nick Talbot, the Gravenhurst sound has progressed from the creepy folk of previous releases to an almost new wave style on this first single. A fast tempo riff is wonderfully juxtapositioned against Talbot's understated tones, which sound remarkably like those of the Kings Of Convenience's Eirik Glambek Boe.

The three-piece then spring a real surprise three minutes in. Just when you think the song has finished it comes back to life with a Mogwai-style menacing slow guitar instrumental section, eventually fading away but not before more than capturing your attention. Things are looking up for Gravenhurst, with a tour of North America in support of Warp stable mates Broadcast beginning next month and an album which promises much. One question has to be asked then - why do they still have to sing about killing people all the time?