Reviewed by Theo Bowyer

Austin Tofte, otherwise known as Swimming With Dolphins, is a good friend of Adam Young, otherwise known as Owl City. No doubt the worldwide success of Owl City's "Fireflies" was a factor in persuading BEC Recordings to sign SWD, particularly as Mr Tofte works in the same kind of ambient/electro field as his hitmaking friend. Here SWD has created a wonderfully crafted album full of life and colour. Speaking about the record Tofte said, "It is a really relational record and pretty intimate and revealing of my emotions and the things I was going through." "Holiday", featuring singer Sarah Beintker, with its wistful vibe and catchy electro rhythm, makes a perfect start to the album. "Sleep To Dream" was the first single (released in May 2011) and is driven by a hooky, synth riff and isn't dissimilar to Owl City's current project. The heavy bass-driven "Diplomat" shows the writing flexibility of Tofte and a mature lyrical approach: "I'm trying to find the means, to living more passionately/'cause I'm not who I want to be. I just gotta get free." The title track is a joyous triumph of polished synth-pop, showing off Swimming With Dolphins' adept production skills with each section of the song painted with careful layers. This is an album you can switch on, close your eyes and relax.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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