Mark Peters: The Magic Hour EP (Sonic Cathedral)

Underlining the excellence of last year’s Red Sunset Dreams with its inspired plaiting of Liverpool-born Americana, The Magic Hour EP provides an intriguing signpost as to where Mark Peters might heading next.

Comprising of a quartet of songs, the two new tracks are fired up by Peters’ well-received string of live dates last Autumn. Bassist Dean Roby and drummer Chris Smith who backed Peters on tour appear on the title track, perfectly evoking the titular period of the day, a noon bright piece of instrumental sunshine pop. Increasing the pace, Alpenglow, a succession of Nick McCabe style guitar curlicues backed by an oscillating Kosmiche synth pulse and motorik rhythm track is one of the finest things Peters has issued to date.

Moving on to the remixes, Silver River is reimagined by US band Dawn Chorus And The Infallible Sea Silver as a drifting cloud of woozy ambient textures led by legendary lap steel player BJ Cole. A romantic paean to the Mersey, the redux emphasises the track's Americana influences in widescreen fashion. Retooled by psychedelic / remix notable Richard Norris, Sundowning adds what sounds like an Appalachian dulcimer to the mix and pushes Dot Allison’s beautiful wordless vocals to the forefront to evoke an incantation to be chanted as the sun dips below the horizon. 4/5