Lorien are a multinational three-piece who write the kind of quiet acoustic-based songs that have people falling over each other to call them 'the new Coldplay' which may well be enough on its own to put you off them. If you happen to be one of those poor souls who looks for nothing more than beauty in music, however, the first two singles (the luscious despairing cry of 'Ghostlost' and the elegant 'Shivering Sun') may have given you the impression that this would be an album to treasure.

First listened to in a half-awake state first thing in the morning, the whole thing did seem to work, emenating a sense of gentle wonder at the world in contrast to many acoustic bands' songs of only pain. And Italian singer Fabio's strangely accented falsetto and seemingly not quite perfect grip of English help to make lines like 'All I want to do is just embrace this fat young boy' strangely touching.

Further listens however make the whole album sound at times painfully one-dimensional, particularly the second half with flimsy songs like the appropriately named 'Disappear', and there are far too few noticeable moments throughout, with only 'Cherrywood Eyes' and 'Blue' standing out after the first few tracks. It soon becomes frustrating to listen to an album which, aside from a few half-hearted electronic effects, is completely bereft of different ideas and doesn't really have the songs to carry only one.

Maybe it's just me. Not so long ago I would have loved this record, for all its unrelenting niceness and vague sentiments. Now, the way this floats by, too timid to make a mark in the memory, leaves me largely feeling cheated.