An EP titled 'Faint Violet Whiff and performed by a band called Dead Leaf Echo may give the impression of a clutch of whey-faced miserablists. It's true enough that these songs are entrenched in the dark stuff but they also possess an aggression that steers them comfortably away from the run-of-the-mill. Infact, this is the kind of record Piano Magic could churn out in their 'Low Birth Weight' period. The relentlessly downbeat rhythms are complemented by some strident gothic guitar whilst the bruised vocals of the mysteriously-named LG capture the spirit of 4AD melancholia perfectly. Yet despite the impressive fast-paced nature of the first half of the record, it is 'Shell Of Love', a ghostly, wounded ballad that stands out from the pack whilst 'Denial' makes a strong case for a very beautiful and articulate kind of depression.