The Lucid Effect‘s first EP, released in 2012, was entitled ‘Shakes & Shivers’ and utilised only vocals and guitar. EP number two from Wellington’s Declan Ramsay heralds a more expansive acoustic sound, despite the evidently introspective title. With its deep and carefully woven lyrics this home-made four track EP is still very much focused on his gentle tenor voice and strummed guitar – but as the tracks progress this base is built upon with electronic assistance.

Collidescope with the lyric, “I shake as you shiver”, harks back to the earlier EP. It’s a haunting track that would perhaps be better served with a title less dependent on the written-out pun. Third track Our Great Escape seems to bring the EP to an elegant pinnacle of arrangement – until the final track, Lullabies. A gorgeous crescendo of a song, with birdsong, glockenspiel and snare providing a new soundscape from the get-go, Lullabies‘ mellow start gradually builds until all of a sudden (but perfectly naturally) it’s a sweetly powerful climax that belies the title of the track. A surprise delight all round, it’s all over in just 14 minutes.