Band : Sleeping States
Album Title : In The Gardens Of The North
Label : Bella Union
Distribution : V2
Release date : September 2009
Review : CD

Sleeping States is the musical project of Markland Starkie, a British musician situated in Bristol, who started this project in 2004.
He self-released a CD-R album “Distances Are Great” years ago, quickly followed by two EP’s.
“In The Gardens Of The North” (9 songs, playing time 43 minutes) is the follow-up for the real debut album “There The Open Spaces” (2007), that had a worldwide release this time thanks to three great labels.
How would I describe Sleeping States?
In a polite way, I would answer : mesmerizing harmonies from a conventional songwriter and dream-weaver, whose voice sounds a bit like Antony & The Johnsons and who already shared the stage with for instance Blonde Redhead and M. Ward.
But in a frank way, I would say : quiet folk with a minimalistic accompaniment, a boring voice  producing humbug, music to fall asleep to and thus I propose to change the name of the band into Sleepy States instead of Sleeping States.

60/100

Erik.