RECOMMENDED REISSUE: Voom: 'Hello, Are You There?' (Flying Nun/digital outlets)

Buzz Moller's Voom were too widely respected and known at the time to qualify as a cult item in the early 2000s, but these days their small catalogue (just two albums, this their second from 2006 on Lil' Chief) ensures that position with a generation which has grown up without hearing of them, let alone their music.

For a band which recorded this album on the fly in “various basements and bedrooms around Auckland” they certainly captured a beautiful sound (the lovely opening track Beautiful Day, the harmonies on Ride of Your Life, the weightless Not Even a Dream and We're So Lost, the closing I Went to Sleep) as much as sharp rock'n'pop energy (King Kong), lazy humour (the catchy Happy Just Bumming Round) and pointed lyrics (You Were A Man).

Lil' Chief always had an idiosyncratic approach and delivered as much delightful as thoughtful pop-rock with ears on Brian Wilson, Abbey Road and Lennon's most dreamy songs.

Voom tapped into those reference points (and more) and wrapped their knowingness and studied innocence in short songs which never outstayed their welcome. The evidence of their economy is that there are 17 songs across the two sides of this album on the reissued vinyl version.

There are very beautiful songs here – among them the pop ballad I Want My Baby and the slow No Real Reality – and the songs err towards the quiet end of the spectrum which makes them even more engrossing as you lean in.

This is a very welcome reissue.

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Voom play the Hollywood, Avondale in Auckland on Friday April 16 with Soaked Oats and Laiika.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here but it is also available on limited edition coloured vinyl through Flying Nun (with a bonus track Jimmy's Boner) here