Two years on from the release of their remarkable debut album, 'New Moon', Almunia return with a second full-length of chugging psychedelic dub-disco, shimmering acoustic grooves and spine-tingling Italian Balearica. Decidedly less heady than its predecessor, 'Pulsar' impresses with its glistening guitars, touchy-feely textures, ocean-blue chords and otherworldly atmospherics. Along the way, there are tracks that variously sound like Cos/Mes jamming with Pet Metheny (‘The Magician’), the Idjuts locking horns with Mudd (‘Ode To Mum’), classic Scandolearica (the Lindstrom & Prins Thomas-ish ‘Pulsar’), Peter Green on valium (‘Views From A Blue Train’) and a lost Fleetwood Mac track (‘Secret Marriage’). Featuring brilliant new artwork by Mark Warrington this is an essential summer album.Review courtesy of Piccadilly Records, Manchester