Halogen
Sirens
Karmic Hit

A few years ago, a delightfully bittersweet love song Caught Me popped into rotation on Triple J and Australia was introduced to another guitar-based pop band oozing with charm and potential. Go forward three years and Halogen sneak out their third studio album.

'Save The Ones You Love' was an exciting debut, equal to the moodiness of local compatriots The Panics and made distinct by the heart-piercingly sweet, yet mature, vocals of Jasmine Yee. Something must have gone wrong with the marketing for sophomore album 'Building On The Edge Of The Sky' as, until now, nothing has ever been spoken of it - and even now it's only in passing.

'Sirens', however, is as beautiful, haunting and attractive as its name suggests, with the listener captured once again by Yee's charming lyrics and vocals and enchantingly taken to another world.

Love songs can be completely clichˇd, but the thing is that they can also be truly moving and sincere without being too earnest. Yee vocalises the latter category. Basically, the whole album is a collection of thoughts struggling with love and relationships, however, there are many fantastic thoughts coupled with a gamut of emotions.

In that way, it's not an easy listening album, although it's not too moody and edgy to only fit into those niche times of sadness. "Let's meet up and share hangovers, I've got the stereo and it's warm, I'll put The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Smiths on repeat if you like," sings Yee in Tonight, as the guitars, complete with echo effect, create a surreal mood. Today Of All Days and Baby's Eyes are relative stand-out tracks too, but overall it's a nicely-spread, full album.

Steven Williams