It appears that Nathaniel Pearn has had an interesting few years since I checked out his last album, My Heart Beats Like A Drum. This is Pearn's first album with him in the front seat as singer-songwriter, a move that holds promise given the over-reliance on occasionally formulaic instrumentals on previous releases.

Having said which, Neon Hurts My Eyes still starts with an instrumental in the form of Metropolis. That opening still sign-posts how much Natural Self has changed this time around though. Whilst this album retains elements of Pearn's hip-hop and funk production influences the opening highlights there is a lot more going on. The press-release may be a little over-eager in name-checking Radiohead and the Beta Band but this is clearly a more experimental album.

So Neon Hurts My Eyes opens with glitchy electronic-bleeps and wild, soaring vocal choruses before early preview track Red Wire Blue Wire picks up the baton. Here Pearn's vocals are applied to a head-nodding electronic track, complete with arpeggiated synths and bass-heavy keys. Its a marked departure, and a refreshing one.

There are moments when Neon Hurts... seems to drift much more towards the traditional Natural Self sound, on the soulful choral female vocals of The Valleys, for example. On the whole however this is an album that sounds like the creator grew tired of his pigeonhole, and Pearn's adventures are generally a more worthwhile listen as a result. Yet there are a few missteps - a general overwhelming sense of earnestness and a cover of Laurie Andreson's O Superman that I struggle to wholly get behind.

The album is strongest when it forges its own path. Mirror To The Sky is an entrancing post-apocalyptic ballad of our demise, complete with haunting cello and mechanical drums whilst Take It Back is fuzzy, jiving and chaotic - a whirl of electronic noise and grimy bass. The album closes on a haunted, spectral instrumental in Paper Skyline that conjures a sense of conflicted optimism.

Pearn is no longer wrestling with his inspiration as he was on previous albums. Neon Hurts My Eyes is Natural Self creating his own identity, and so far it's sounding pretty good.

Neon Hurts My Eyes is out on 11 March through Tru Thought, available for pre-order on CD from Amazon.co.uk [affiliate link].

Natural Self's new album, My Heart Beats Like A Drum, represents a bit of an evolution for the artist - with a more mature, emotive sound than previous work it feels like there is much more colour to this record. The overall impact of the album is improved by the inclusion of guest vocals, provided by French vocalist Elodie Rama. It's an approach that undoubtedly works - adding colour and variety to an album that only really falls down when it stops changing.

There is a good chance you may not have heard of Natural Self and if this is the case then for your benefit he is Nathaniel Pearn and he produces laid back, soulful, rhythm based music. Much of it is instrumental and there are times when the music shines enough to warrant the space. The Cuban summer jam of 'Days Get Brighter' for example, or the drowsy 'Even Planets Get Lonely' - a track that sounds like it is literally buckling under the strain of staying awake in the midday sun.

The problem with all the instrumentals is that, taken together, they do not feel distinct enough to the casual listener to ensure engagement. A shame, given that they are generally pretty good. What saves My Heart Beats Like A Drum are those vocal tracks, fulfilling a palate cleansing role and throwing in a bit of spice to make thing just that bit more interesting.

There may only be three tracks with full vocals but they play a vital role in giving the album life. Of the three it is actually Natural Self's own delivery on the bluesy 'Every Day' that shines the most. Packed with bags of space and feeling it feels like a dip in the pool compared to the dry heat of some of the instrumentals here.

My Heart Beats Like A Drum is an album full of beautiful timing and textures and it will create a perfect soundtrack to lazing in the summer sunshine. A few more vocal cuts and a bit more variety could make Natural Self's next album great - in the meantime this one will simply have to settle for being rather good instead.

BP x

My Heart Beats Like A Drum is released on Tru Thoughts on 19 October 2009.