Sydney local Oliver Tank has quietly gone about making a name for himself over the last year or so; not just here but across the globe. At only 22 that’s quite impressive. National Public Radio in the US recently chose Tank as one of the top 5 BandCamp albums of 2011. Listening to his first EP Dreams, it’s pretty clear why they did.

Despite its minimal spacey sound, the EP has a languid warmth to it; an intimate familiarity. Opener “Up All Night” has a comfortable stillness, like walking down quiet streets on a summer night. The addition of female vocals (from Fawn Myers) to two tracks adds a nice dynamic, particularly on “Embrace”. “Last Night I Heard Everything in Slow Motion” is Tank at his best: sweetly melancholic yet uplifting.

This kind of electronic ambient pop (think a more subtle James Blake) requires a very deft touch which Tank has. A simple string flourish or an electronic warble in his voice is often all that’s needed to colour his songs. Flecks of percussion sit amongst vocal washes and airy synth. The production quality is absolutely amazing and a reflection of Tank’s talent.

Try to not let the accolades raise your expectations too high. It took me three listens to really appreciate this recording. There’s a lack of melody which will potentially put some off – it did me initially – and the last two tracks possibly lack the clever imagination of the preceding ones, but sit down and give Dreams a proper listen and I promise you you’ll be smitten.

Review Score: 8.6 out of 10

You can stream or buy (name your price) Dreams from Tank’s BandCamp here:
http://yespleaserecords.bandcamp.com/releases