ANGELO DE AUGUSTINE

Swim Inside The Moon 8/10

A 24-year-old suburban Los Angeleno, De Augustine makes lo-fi artisanal folk with a summer-pop sharpness. Home-recorded, flooded with natural reverb, his second album, after 2014’s Spirals Of Silence, consists primarily of intricately constructed acoustic guitar lines and De Augustine’s soft, high whisper of a voice. Signed to Sufjan Stevens’ label, it’s possible to discern a gentle affinity, alongside echoes of José González, Devendra Banhart and Sun Kil Moon. A sickly organ creeps into “More Than You Thought To Use”, reminiscent of The Beach Boys, unplugged and at their most God-struck, while the glorious “Haze” suggests Nick Drake backing Jeff Buckley.