Pop is littered with bands that should have made it, that should have reached a wider audience.

Yet in the case of The Wake, while that is undoubtedly true the statement perhaps de-values their own achievements. The band hooked up with two iconic labels - Factory and Sarah - and produced some sublime material, guiding the indie scene out of the shadow of post-punk and towards something more melodic, more pop.

Seeming to gain a posthumous revival in recent times, The Wake found themselves being lauded by a new generation of indie pop outfits. Deciding to reform, a rejuvenated version of the group began laying down new material last year.

With the weight of cult-dom resting on their shoulders, the band have managed to produce something which sounds remarkably relaxed. New album 'A Light Far Out' refuses to look back, instead finding The Wake re-capturing their sound while adding new elements.

Sure, there are nods towards the post-punk period and of course the band's peerless pop run but 'A Light Far Out' seems to most prominently recall the expert synth-inspired songcraft of Saint Etienne.

Take final cut 'The Sands'. Opening with gently strummed acoustic guitar, the bass and drums lock together with an almost nonchalant shrug.

Jacob Graham's voice lends itself to typically poetic lyrics, all descriptions of evocative landscapes mixed with something personal. There's the odd shoegaze guitar squall, with the murmuring, elegiac tone gently unveiling itself over the course of seven minutes.

It's a typically unexpected gesture from a band who were never easy to place. An intoxicating - in parts infuriating - return, The Wake have provided a unique adendum to a perennially under-rated discography.

Listen to it now... Grab it HERE.

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