Bat For Lashes / The Haunted Man

Bat For Lashes
The Haunted Man
(Parlophone Records)
*****
There is an unnameable quality in the songs of Bat For Lashes that cast her aside from the clutter of music from the likes of Florence Welch, Jessie J and anyone whose first name is Kate/Katie/Katy/KT that isn’t Mrs Bush.

Opener ‘Lilies’ represents some of Khan’s best work, the big empty spaces are filled with gorgeous strings and the triumphant cries of ‘Thank God I’m Alive’ seem as earnest as her best works. Thank God she is alive! ‘Horses of the Sun’ has tinges of the East about it with swooping harmonies and a crisp marching beat in the verses. Throughout the record obscure ideas are put into practice to great use. ‘Oh Yeah’ cements Natasha Khan’s place in modern music history as one of the greatest innovative thinkers, successfully combining a hip-hop drum beat, a male choir and flanged guitars with great success. The song finishes with a purposeful piano outro and the silences any whisperings that she is different for the sake of being different.

Despite numerous listening, still I cannot put a finger on what it is that makes Bat For Lashes so special, but this record deservedly sits alongside the mercury prize nominees ‘Fur and Gold’ and ‘Two Suns’ and it might just be a case of third time lucky for Miss Khan.
Bill Williams