Pleasant surprise, this.  With his fourth album – two as the unhandsome and dickless Manitoba, and now two as Caribou – Dan Snaith has delivered a fabulous and unexpectedly poppy little principality.  Andorra may have its footballing credentials questioned on a regular basis, but the musical credentials of this are unimpeachable

Right from the no-messing, pounding, so melodic, opening track “Melody Day” – which may be the finest thing Dan Snaith has signed his name to - this is up there with the best experimental pop.  While electronic in nature, there are a whole lot of other sounds therein.  I’m hearing a lot of Nuggets in this.  Love’s ambition, with the flutes, strings and a certain Arthur Lee quality in the vocals too – check “Sandy”.  There are echoes of psych-rock guitar and some heavy Tintern Abbey drumming.  More modern hints of The Beta Band, even a shared song title in “She’s The One” (aficionados of the rom-com genre may protest that this is much more likely to be a reference to the Aniston vehicle of the same name).  A couple of low key electronic tracks serve to build atmosphere for the nine brilliant and unmistakeably Who-influenced minutes of “Niobe”.

Available in August.  Check Merge or Caribou’s Myspace page for more.