Based in Melbourne, The Book of Ships is the solo project of producer d.a.calf. - formerly of Mousemoon (Rubber Records) and current member of Single Twin (Marcus Teague from Deloris’ new project). Recorded in a disused bowling club in Newcastle, NSW and mixed in Sydney by acclaimed producer Scott Horscroft (The Panics, The Presets, Silverchair), debut LP Dark Continent, Cold Century explores the conflict between artistic and social experimentation of the twentieth century, steeping semi-socialist historical analysis with song after song of endlessly replayable, perfect pop.

Perhaps the most astounding aspect of Dark Continent, Cold Century, is the ease with which it presents itself as being so tremendously accomplished. There is a wealth of brilliantly executed music present on this simultaneously complex and unassuming record - every note is pitched perfectly and every transition is smooth and effortless.

For all its musical flourishes and ideas, you wouldn’t be blamed to assume Dark Continent, Cold Century was the brain-child of a dozen-strong collective - which makes the fact that every harmony, every melody and every instrumental solo was put to tape by one unaccompanied musician, all the more impressive.

It is relatively easy to pick out The Book of Ships’ influences - the swirling layers of pointy synths and reverberating rhythms of lead single Broken Glass In My Mouth scream M83-style bombastic eccentricity laced with the precise post-punk throb of Interpol, while the frequent textural shifts and four part vocal harmonies of the meticulously crafted and extremely catchy "Aagh
" lend themselves wholeheartedly to the gentle art-rock of Grizzly Bear. Not to mention the fact that the whole musical package is tied up in a bow of tender lyrics that lie somewhere between the works of Owen Pallet and Conor Oberst.

Despite the existence of these vast and varying musical influences, it would be lazy and unfair to label this record ‘a mishmash’ of these other artists’ sounds, because Dark Continent, Cold Century really is so much more than a sum of its parts.

Engaging both the head and the heart, and certain to have you humming its melodies for days,  Dark Continent, Cold Century is a beautifully listenable collection from a talented musician who clearly has no hard and fast rules when it comes to making music, and that, in this reviewer’s opinion, is the most admirable of intents.

Review Score: 8.5/10