Four years ago Cook, an old friend of the pair, visited their Bristol studio and, fuelled by alcoholic beverage, laid down some vocals for a work in progress they’d been struggling to apply the finishing touches to. Emboldened by the results, the three met up every month or so to record a new song.

Norfolk and Locke gained their moniker after composing scores for natural history programmes on the BBC. Since then, they’ve co-written ‘Karma Coma’ with Massive Attack and contributed ‘Human’ to Goldfrapp's debut album, Felt Mountain, whilst providing edgy soundtracks for leftfield movies such as XX/XY and Owning Mahony.

It’s a sound which suits Cook, a, by his own admission, mature artist bored with what he perceives to be the ridiculousness of rock and roll. This is music to chill out to. Even if Cook startles you out of deep, halycon repose with his uncanny impression of Bristol-based singer Patrick Duff on ´Walking On The Sand´.

Not that he sees it that way. Cook claims that the first single to be taken from The Flies’ forthcoming debut album "has got that kinda 50s girls group feel, a bit Phil Spector, a bit Shangri Las." This fits in with Cook’s preference for older artists over anything bought out recently.

As hors d'ouevres go, ‘Walking On The Sand’ is more substantial than most. It remains the perfect taster for future Flies releases though. Leaving you, as it does, hungry for more.
(4/5)

Release Date: 26 September 2005

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