Salon Kingsadore: Salon Kingsadore

By RUSSELL BAILLIE

Herald rating: * * *

Here's an album for those in-between moods - when you just don't need to be sung or shouted at, and you're not feeling particularly groovy for whatever electro-wonder is already on repeat play at the local cafe.

This is the debut by the Auckland quintet which originally formed for film soundtrack work, then carried on to gigs, an EP and now this nine-track collection of ... well, in their words "wiggy psych wash, jazz, classic guitar pop, blues and salsa. No words needed."

Even without a mouth they're not shy of decent tunes - it might be instrumental but there's little post-rock austerity in this set. The tracks pivot neatly around the twin-guitar frontline of John Guy Howell and Gianmarco Liguori, one or both of which sound they are keen students of the Johnny Marr art of echo-heavy jangle.

It gets briefly loungey on the likes of Romances and briefly twangy on the likes of Esbtudiante De Amor, but mostly it's sprightly mid-tempo indie-rock of a vocal-free but jazzy imagination and deft lightness of touch. Quite Kingsadorable.

(Sarangbang)