Jono McCleery | Pagodes

This guy is kind of like a reverse Beethoven in that he was born deaf. He couldn't hear a thing until around the age of five. For real. At age eighteen he discovered the guitar and started playing with a collective called One Taste.

His debut album 'Darkest Light', which is a lovely album if you missed it, was crowdfunded back in 2008. In 2011 Ninja Tunes picked him up for his second album 'There is', which is bordering on the exquisite.

Now he has released his third album, called 'Pagodes', released on If Music – super-cool subsidiary of Ninja Tunes.

The Rotterdam-based singer/songwriter has pulled it off again.

He maintains his essentially folk nature in composition and singing, but the production of this album is a little more edgy. The piano-based tracks, for instance, are looped and filtered to give them a very distinctive texture. Some of the tracks start in very minimalist style and build to full orchestrated magnificence.

Stand-out tracks for me are 'Bet She Does', which is reminiscent of his earlier work – just a simple, heartfelt piece. 'Halfway' which is just plain gorgeous. And my top pick 'So Long' which is a surging, emotional, orchestral bravura straight from the core.

It's one of those albums that deserves a few listens before you make a judgement otherwise you might miss out, because it's not pop. That songs aren't built for hooks. The beauty is in the subtlety as with most of his work.

This is my favorite track; check it: