Goodwill: Kind Hands (digital outlets)

By happy coincidence Goodwill -- Ōtautahi's Will McGillivray formerly of alt.rockers Nomad , not to be confused with the electronica artist The Nomad -- produced and mixed Mousey's impressive third album Mothers which we also review this week.

And here he steps out with a debut album of lo-fi alt.folk pop which spotlights an aching and sometimes anguished vocal delivery atop scratchy guitars, prominent percussion and a smattering of old school synths.

As with his production for Mousey, this approach gives a tactile sense to the songs which often have an unprepossessing, but ultimately engaging, sense of despondency: the ambiguous “I'm so happy I could die” in the finger-picking Obamas; the monochrome folk-pop of Xhale which devolves into appropriately organised chaos in the closing moments.

Goodwill knows his way with a melody too: there's something of a beaten-down Evan Dando on Kill the Guilt;the ambient centrepiece instrumental Kalm Hands could have appeared on Brian Eno's mid-1970s Obscure label, Plans finds him at his most engaging on a yearning song and the final track I Will Never Let You Down is as simple, honest and straightforward as its title.

So as with Mousey, Goodwill ends his journey with light breaking through.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here