Bless you, Björk

Daragh Downesfinds the new album by Bjork protégé Leila shows "unerring compositional and production instincts".

LEILA

Blood, Looms and Blooms

Warp

****

Many moons ago, Björk plucked a young Iranian-British media studies student from total obscurity by enlisting her as keyboardist and live mixer. Before long, Leila Arab was being hailed by the elfin one as the electronic "terrorist" whose on-stage improvisations kept things deliciously unpredictable.

Blood, Looms and Bloomsis only Leila's third album, and her first since 2000's Courtesy of Choice. How good to report that it marks a triumphantly convincing comeback. Whether we're talking the oriental counter-melodies caressing the voice of ex-Specials (and Fun Boy Three) man Terry Hall on Time to Blow; the stately Habanera arpeggios undergirding Daisies, Cats and Spacemen; the wobble bass domineering Mettle; or the apocalyptic lyrics slyly lullabying us on Why Should I?, everything here points to unerring compositional and production instincts.

Leila typically favours faux-naïf, two-chord see-saws ( Mollie, Time To Blow, Little Acorns, Teases Me, Why Should I?), and she takes a special delight in the strange change from major to minor tonality.

(The opening track on Archive's 1996 Londinium, may be a key influence here: the lead singer on that trip-hop album is Leila's older sister, Roya.) You won't hear Leila singing on anything here, but you'll hear how well she listens. In contrast to too many electronic artists, she never allows process or pretentiousness to trump the big question: does this tickle my ears or not?

Clearly, Björkestral apprenticeship is the royal road to sonic sensitivity. As Leila once put it herself, those tours taught her to develop a "human relationship" with technology. Hence the impromptu, improvisational layering - and subverting - of this album's tight, downtempo tracks.

Leila, you've got me on my knees: please don't make us wait another eight years for your next release.

[ www.leilamusic.co.uk ]

DARAGH DOWNES

Download tracks: Time to Blow, Mettle