Through the Hill

by Ted MillsSounding much more like a Harold Budd album than anything ever released by Andy Partridge (of XTC), these ambient pieces are lush, spacious environments populated by Budd's watery keyboards and Partridge's heavily processed, angular guitar lines. Fans of both artists will have fun deciding who wrote what, seeing as the duo shares credit for all pieces (it might be the pop-centric Partridge responsible for the sudden key changes and quasi-song structure). This is one of Andy Partridge's most interesting diversions while stuck in contractual limbo after 1992's Nonsuch; it's a shame that there weren't any more like this.