Phantom Moon

(Nonesuch)

Duncan Sheik is best remembered for his ambient, vocal pop tune Barely Breathing, off his eponymous debut in 1996. This time around Sheik admits to being influenced by the late British troubadour Nick Drake, even to the point of deriving his album title from Drake's final LP, Pink Moon.

In short, the creamy-voiced crooner has dedicated himself to melancholic meanderings, with intimate strings, piano, minimal drums and tunes that avoid hooks - it's pointedly non-rock. To make matters more interesting, the 31-year-old wrote the music around the lyrics of a New York playwright he met at a Buddhist workshop.

The songs tend towards the poetic and philosophical, often inscrutable at first but usually profound after consideration. Longing Town epitomises the beguiling sound of this album, incorporating a full orchestra without compromising intimacy. Mr Chess is one of the more upbeat numbers, yet unexpectedly does not include any drums.

Poignant and introspective, Sheik carries on throughout in the moody vein of Drake, as well as Jeff Buckley (also deceased) and Richard Thompson. But lacking the emotional depth and acute passion of his models, he never quite bridges the gap and will remain in their shadow.