DAVID SYLVIAN & HOLGER CZUKAY: PLIGHT & PREMONITION

Seeing as we're going through a mini heat-wave here in Scotland, I thought I'd give this album an airing for the first time in 7 years. And you know, I'd forgotten how good this sounds compared with the tidal wave of ambient recordings that have been released since 1987.

Plight and Premonition is an excellent and instantly identifiable album that should be listened to on dark swelteringly hot nights. Entirely instrumental, but unlike its successor - this one is far more atmospheric and has a lot more depth and feel to it. And unlike most collaborations this sounds split 50/50 right down the middle in terms of input and resulting sound. It's a bit like a slightly more lively 'Atem' by Tangerine Dream. It floats along in a majestic manner as foreign radio snippets (clearly Czukay inspired) make brief appearances. Reverbed piano and prolonged spooky keyboard chords only add to the happiness I feel when I hear this.

Very different to Sylvian's first two vocal albums and a million miles from "Japan". It is short however, and you won't get any bonus tracks on the cd, which is probably a good thing as it's perfect in length and atmosphere just the way it is.