‘Supermigration’ is the follow-up to Solar Bears well-received debut album ‘She Was Coloured In’ which introduced us to their widescreen cinematic sound and in the process set expectations buzzing for their future work. Since then, the combination of Rian Trench and John Kowlaski set about perfecting their live set, collaborating with members from Jape, Ships and I Am The Cosmos. It would be difficult to not be inspired by working with such talented individuals, so the question remained, just how would Solar Bears progress?

In terms of ‘Supermigration’, what Solar Bears have accomplished is subtly building on layers of lush synth, instrument and most crucially vocal arrangements in a more fully realized way that was apparent on their debut album. Solar Bears tap into their musical influences running the gamut of electronica across the decades and also delve into krautrock, psychedelica and movie soundtracks rather than seeking inspiration from any single source.

Each of the songs elicits different moods from the sprawling tension of Happiness Is a Warm Spacestation and the standout The Girl That Played Light to the climatic uplifting Rainbow Collision. There is a sense of darkness running through the album with occasions where rays of light, in the shape of pop hooks, breaking in. For some, a criticism that could be labelled against the album is that it shifts between moods too much  over the course but of the album, but for this listener that was a strength as it kept the pacing fresh and yearning for something different after each track.   Songs such as Cosmic Runner and Komplex wouldn’t have been out-of-place beside Music is Math on the seminal Boards of Canada album Geogaddi. It’s hard not to envisage great plains or vistas being traversed or orbiting a planet while listening to these expansive songs. This feeling isn’t lost on the band and the album title is inspired by Native American culture, crossing the great plains of North America.

There are moments when listening to this album where you think that this ought to have been the album Air should have made after Moon Safari. Love Is All, You and Me (Subterranean Cycles) and Rising High encapsulate French nonchalant cool. The appearance of Beth Hirsch, who contributed to Moon Safari, on Our Future is Underground emphasises this even more in what is a fantastic vocal performance. The one other vocal performance on the album is provided by Sarah P of Keep Shelly In Athens on Alpha People which evokes the dream pop of M83, and it is an undoubted highlight. Each listen to this album reveals hidden subtleties and depths that were previously missed. It never ceases to impress in its scope or ambition.

This album is an aural feast to let yourself be swept away in its voyage around the globe and into the universe.