When the Frenchman Yann Tambour released his previous records as Thee Stranded Horse he was attempting mystery in a second language.
Forgive Tambour. He plucks cascades of twinkling notes from a twenty-one string Kora, and his studiously subdued vocals, in French and English, now suggest the timeless tunes of some travelling Medieval troubadour, rather than the pre-natal blues of West Africa, a move North newly supported by suitably sparse string accompaniment.
The Malian Kora player Ballake Sissoko throws a fluttering coda over Shields, raising a bar that Tambour almost reaches himself in the extended closer, Halos, all visionary declamations and potent silences.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube