A few months ago Broadcast released 'Pendulum', their first release in three years. Despite being a mere twenty minutes in length it promised much for the proper album to follow. The album more than delivers on that promise. Sharing only one track with the EP (the title track from 'Pendulum') 'Haha Sound' has its own magic. 'Colour Me In' starts things off with a haunting motif that is familiar to the Tales Of The Unexpected theme tune; it's excellent in itself but it's surpassed by the brilliant 'Before We Begin' where Trish Keenan's apparently blank vocals sound headswimmingly beautiful over a typically Broadcast 60s-sounding cinematic backdrop. Meanwhile, the group display their skills with a mighty drum sound on 'Man Is Not A Bird' and 'Hawk' whereas 'Minim' represents a close affinity with fellow retro-futurists Stereolab. But whilst Stereolab are keen to experiment at all times Broadcast do so with a constantly beating melodic heart as with 'Lunch Hour Pops' and 'Ominous Cloud'. Of further note are the almost hymnal 'Valerie' and the nursery ryhme-like ditty that is 'The Little Bell'. With ill-advised experiments few and far between 'Haha Sound' is the band's most consistently brilliant effort so far.