PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING Vinyl & CDs

Review: Some 15 years on from the release of their debut recordings, Public Service Broadcasting hit album number five, The Last Flight, a lightly conceptual affair inspired by the story of pioneering female navigator Amelia Earhart's ill-fated 1937 attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe by plane. It cannily follows the narrative of Earhart's final flight, moving from the heart-aching orchestral swell of 'I Was Always Dreaming' to the poignant, sample-splattered ambient heartbreak of 'Howland' (a reference to the spot in the Pacific where her plane reportedly went down), via jangly indie-rock ('Towards The Dawn'), jaunty mid-60s beat-pop joy ('The Fun Of It'), folksy laments ('The South Atlantic') and grandiose indie-pop ('Electra').

Review: No-one could accuse the London-based duo Public Service Broadcasting of lacking ambition-after the runaway success of their debut 'Inform - Educate - Entertain', this second album, whilst still utilising their trademark mixture of archive audio recordings, krautrock and post-rock. focuses conceptually on the '60s space race, and summons up a suitably widescreen and emotionally resonant backdrop for these stirring tales of voyages into the unknown. Both playful and respectful, it's a heartfelt record whose experimental elan matches the ground-breaking nature and sense of wonder of the subject matter, with these soundscapes and grooves sounding forceful and engaging even whilst they're figuratively staring at the stars.