Gotye

Gotye: Make sure you pronounce it right!

Like Drawing Blood

Lone men, a bedroom and a sampling machine isn't just a UK phenomenon then. Step forward Wally De Backer, Belgian-born but Australian raised, and the man behind the mystery moniker Gotye.

Which, for the record, is: a) pronounced Gautier; and b) his childhood nickname.

It's a name you should probably get used to. Judging by the quality of Like Drawing Blood, Gotye's brand of pop-flavoured electronica should see him break out of the Aussie-only circuit.

Indeed, he could become the Antipodean Hot Chip. Or, perhaps more accurately, given the sunny, smiley nature of much here, the new St Etienne.

While there's nothing new here, per se, there's enough to suggest that Backer is a name to watch. The lilting groove of Thanks For Your Time, the Harry Belafonte-sampling Heart's A Mess – a falsetto tale of anguish set to looped bits of the Banana Boat Song – and the INXS / Simple Minds-flavoured drive of the title track show that this is a man happy to avoid the pigeonholes in a quest for decent pop.

Several tracks may run a little long – often a problem with one man bands, for obvious reason – but all in all, Like Drawing Blood is worth seeking out. Expect to hear it at every Walkabout in the country soon.

They say: 'a meticulously crafted mishmash that sounds not only thoroughly modern, but as though 30 musicians were required to record it.' The Sunday Times.

We say: Mark Ronson who? A little judicious editing and this would have been a five star classic. Instead, it's a solid three, bordering on four, and a hint of much to come.

Best track: Heart's A Mess, the Motown-influenced Learnalilgivinanlovin.

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