They've stripped down to a duo but Bear’s Den have upped their game beyond the Americana of their 2014 debut Islands.

Citing Raymond Carver, Edward Hopper and Robert Altman as influences, rather than the more obvious Tears For Fears, the London pair are really more in thrall to the stentorian drama of Hurts, albeit with a comforting, uplifting undertow.

Singer Andrew Davie is as bold as Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody but he’s more convincingly gut-wrenching, not least when he repeats Love Can’t Stand Alone’s title with increasingly emotive results.

Meanwhile, his partner Kev Jones crafts backdrops of spellbinding loveliness, most notably on Greenwood’s Bethlehem and Broken Parable.

Together the duo are a gliding iceberg, the perfect balm for tricky times.

(Communion)