This is the debut release from Sony’s recent signings, the Bristol rockers Halo. Not available in the shops but instead given out free to those who subscribe to their website mailing list. Enough to make you cringe in the thought that this is a band who aren’t really up to scratch. Only if you give the record a chance and listen to it just once, you’ll see that you’ve stumbled across a very promising little EP. One listen is actually all it takes, ‘cos boy do this band have hooks or what?

Simply put, Halo play emotional rock like Radiohead never went ‘experimental’, and instead stuck with The Bends-formula. ‘Still Here’ has the over the top vocals, and ‘Sanctimonious’ has the drop-dead catchy chorus. The haunting ‘Echoes’ follows similar patterns with the demonic melodies and quivering lyrics.

If Halo can continue to produce tunes of this standard they should go a long way. Well worth subscribing people.