Devonte Hynes faced the dark, dank corners of London’s indie clubs during his tenure with buzz band Test Icicles and didn’t like what he saw. So rather then get engulfed by the madness of hipsters and guest lists, he and his bandmates disbanded the project and Devonte went solo to record his long germinating operatic alt. country masterpiece, Falling off the Lavender Bridge under the moniker of Lightspeed Champion.

Recorded at a studio headed by Saddle Creek maestro Mike Mogis ( Bright Eyes, M. Ward ) and with guest appearances by Emma-Lee Moss ( Emmy the Great ), members of Cursive and Nate Walcott, Falling off the Lavender Bridge is a project which is filled with youthful ambition. The dual vocals of Emma and Lightspeed Champion sit against rich, vibrant string sections, plaintive piano chords and bombastic choruses and it’s clear that neither Hynes or Mogis had any plan of restraint when recording the album, which has proved to be a double edged sword.

Tracks like Galaxy of the Lost, are buried under a weight of ostentatiousness and any semblance of pace or development throughout the song is completely lost. Similarly Midnight Suprise, while a charming attempt at a nine minute oddessy and a sign that Lightspeed Champion is ready to flout pop conventions, unbalances the flow of the album. Coming in at track five, it doesn’t allow for the listener to fully appreciate the world of Lightspeed Champion before being assaulted by such a disjointed and gruelling song.

However songs such as I Could’ve Done This Myself, Dry Lips and Let the Bitches Die show a more condensed and collected band, if one which wears the Saddle Creek influence on its sleeve. With less orchestral dramatics these songs allow for distinctive woodwind flourishes and a greater appreciation of Devonte’s lyrical rawness without sacrificing the dynamic tension which his songwriting needs.

Challenging the heavily stylised British music clique, the lyrical directness and vivid orchestration of Falling off the Lavender Bridge is a welcome change. Even though the album isn’t flawless, the obvious joy Devonte Hynes had from using the studio and all the brilliant artists at his disposal shines through. There is definitely a orchestral folk masterpiece in Lightspeed Champion, however Falling off the Lavender Bridge isn’t it.