Dean & Britta
Words You Used To Say EP

From a duo comprising former members of Galaxie 500 and Luna, one can expect nothing less than some pretty tunes with a sadness set to rival both of those bands. And Dean & Britta give us that in the title track, a gorgeous, lilting mental breakdown with electro-acoustic melancholy running through its veins like regret through Keith Harris. This being merely an album taster, however, has been deemed a good enough excuse for Dean & Britta to provide some lovely cover versions.

The loveliest of these is Adam Green's sublimely measured 'We're Not Supposed To Be Lovers', given a fabulously ambiguous dynamic by the boy-girl vocal pairing. As they sing of forbidden love over the swaying countrified twangs of guitar and strings, it's near impossible not to fall in love just a little bit. The winsome folk of aged advert-soundtracker Donovan's 'Colours' is reborn with echoing space to spare and the gorgeous ballast of Dean's clean-as-a-whistle vocals, and Bobby Darin's 'Distractions, Pt. 1' is oddly punchy.

Sweetly, this magical duo sing of their woes through other people's poetry – a device that serves them impeccably well here. One can only hope that a forthcoming LP of their own material can deliver on the promise displayed here.