Smoke Fairies’ debut has a beautiful heart, yet the cold glossy production, and the record’s inability or motivation to manoeuvre between gears, means the record often falls short of where it rightfully belongs. It is seemingly content to swoon and saunter with little melodic intent, the songs a stumbling and pretty daydream that fade soon after you open your eyes.

‘Summer Fades’ opens like a misty morning; the angelic voices of Jessica Davies and Katherine Blamire (as in the Smoke Fairies) need little accompaniment, possessing an underlying strength in their gentle intonation. The instrumentation throughout the set is mainly led with an electric guitar, picked and played to perfection. Yet it is the six string’s smooth delivery that pulls the songs in the wrong direction, from the earthy and heartfelt to a glistening studio session with a lack of soul or desire.The old time, traditional folk edge is in safe hands when the singers take control; ‘Morning Blues’, a slow and sparse unwinding, working because most of the musicians have left the room. ‘Blue Skies Fall’ has a Pentangle jangle with a ghostly harmony; it also has a strong melody – making for an album highlight.

It is obvious the girls have known each other for many years, their close knit and restrained performance always impressive. It is ‘After the Rain’ that impresses most – a spirited vocal and light acoustic roughed up enough to feel authentic and vital. If the band can find muddier ground, get their hands dirty and take the polish off their backing band they will soon be bustling with the likes of The Be Good Tanyas and Mountain Man, not to mention carrying the spirit of English folk.