Since their formation back in 2002 Swedish act POCKETFUL have recorded and released one full length album and 4 EPs if I have noted down their history correctly. The latter are all EPs, digital only productions if I recall correctly, and the latest of these is “Late Night Call”. As with all their other EPs it was issued through independent Swedish label Ovanbeck Records.

The music I have heard so far by Pocketful can generally be described in this manner: Compositions blending pop sensibilities with experimental features, the latter mostly in the arrangements and the former in compositional structure, melody, easy to like lead vocals and lyrics. And much the same is the case this time around. Music at the very border between progressive rock and mainstream pop if you like. And they are superbly good at exploring this particular territory I might add.

Title track Late Night Call and the following Professional are the best of the lot this time around as I regard it, the former sporting effective as-through-the-telephone-vocals, swirling electronic textures and dampened guitar riffs to emphasize the overall bleak context of this song to perfection, the latter adding dampened but effective brass, guitar licks and symphonic textures to a song that opens as a simplistic vocals and rhythms creation of the ballad orientation.

The other numbers are almost as engaging, with a particular mention to Sorry, a brief energetic display that to my ears appears as a neat and nifty blend of Tangerine Dream and Pet Shop Boys, with careful additions to the arrangements resulting in a song whose arrangements are both rich and sophisticated towards the end but still dominated by steady rhythms filled with strong pop sensibilities.

“Late Night Call” is a 6 track EP that clocks in at just over 25 minutes, and should be regarded as essential to explore if you have a soft spot for art rock with strong pop sensibilities and vice versa. In particular if you enjoy slightly bleak, melancholic moods explored musically.

My rating: 83/100