Bent arrived on the back of the chill out craze that pervaded the first half of 2000, and they proved to be assured and humourous players. Their albums Programmed To Love and The Everlasting Blink are both very listenable, if criticized for being a touch unkempt around the edges.

Ariels is an audible change of gear, with a tightened grip on structure and a change of focus to more song based material. Guests brought in to achieve this include Sian Evans from Kosheen, Rachel Foster (Weekend Players), Steve Edwards and long standing vocal accomplice Katty.

The new approach pays handsome dividends, with the opening trio as strong a start as you could hope for. Comin? Back has a gorgeous old time vocal from Foster and a euphoric chorus, its sprightly beat an uplifting vibe. Sunday 29th evokes Dubstar at their best, a throwaway chorus and breezy lyrics. So far so good, and a hint of melancholia on I Can?t Believe It?s Over gives air to the rich voice of Sian, sounding much more at home in this musical company.

The focus drifts for a while in the dreamy As You Fall, while Silent Life attempts to recreate the upbeat mood from the opening, largely successfully. On The Lake is awash with harp glissandi, certainly not sparing on the production front, but creating a lush, humid atmosphere. The breathy vocals for Now I Must Remember and Sunday Boy make for a pair of winning downtempo tunes, but the instrumental Exercise 4 is perhaps the best here, its electro touch more than welcome. Closing track The Waters Deep takes the warm fuzzy feeling over the horizon.

Bent use for the most part a wide open sound, creating real outdoor music for the summer. At times this means the production can lack subtlety, disappearing into a warm mush, but more often than not there?s a hook or vocal to enjoy. It?s certainly a step forward from previous records and means they're punching at the same weight as their fellow downtempo duos Groove Armada and Lemon Jelly.

What really works here though is the fact that a Summery record is being released at exactly the right time. So many labels get this wrong, dictated too by the traditional ?boom? periods of spring and autumn, while what the music lover wants is hot, sunny music for hot, sunny days - and that?s what Bent are offering. With a bit of class thrown in.

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Bent are probably best known for their classic chillout track - Swollen. Sublime at the time this really was a masterpiece in ambience.

Now on their third album, this is their first on Ministry of Sound offshoot label Open (also home of Deepest Blue).

Previous reliance on samples has disappeared as Bent strive to make a wholly organic album the boys have once again sought a variety of vocal talents to support the cause; these are Steve Edwards, Sian from Kosheen, Rachel from Weekend Players and on-going Bent acquaintance Katty.

The end result is one of the most beautiful albums I have heard this year. they have stepped up a notch from the ambient/chillout sound but have maintained the overall delicacy and beauty of previous outings.

Hopefully this album will propel Bent into a wider musical arena. Right from forthcoming single 'Comin' Back' through to the epic closing track 'The Waters Deep' this album oozes quality. All three female vocalist provide stunning powerful vocals to create tracks the likes of Massive Attack, Zero 7 and St Etienne would be proud of.

There are so many potential singles here that would sound great on the radio. 'Comin' Back' is a fine choice for first single - bright, breezy and downright catchy, this is great radio music for late summer. Other potentials are 'Sunday 29th' with Sian on vocals - this is a slower track but with intense emotion in the vocals it is a dream track.

'I Can't Believe It's Over' sees long-time Bent associate Katty produce a track Massive Attack would I'm sure die for. Deep broody vocals over a chugging bassline make this another classic.

The only weak point for me is the track with vocals provided by Steve Edwards. The music here is very light and airy, but the vocals just don't work for me. Whether Sian or Rachel would have added a different dimension will probably remain unanswered, but this track just stands out as weak.

The other slight gripe is the inclusion of two instrumental tracks - On the Lake and Exercise 4 (the latter does have some backing vocals). these are Ok, but to be honest I'd rather have the 9 or 10 vocal tracks.

The overall package for me is a revelation. Gentle tracks laced with harps, pianos, strings and stunning vocals makes this the ideal CD to relax to.

A must have for music lovers everywhere.

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'Ariels' is garnering some great reviews - just look at the following quotes from FHM, GQ, Jack and Music Week:

FHM - "Nottingham duo Bent ditch the quirky samples for proper songs and the results are fantastic. Fluffy ballad 'As You Fall' would make Saddam smile; 'Silent Life' is the cheeriest thing we've heard in years. 4/5 "  

GQ - "Nottingham based chill out duo eschew their trademark mix of soulful samples and plaintive beats for a warmer, live sound on their third album, Ariels."

Jack - "The best thing they've done. A blissful mix of wistful summer songs, razzle dazzle orchestral pop, BJ Cole's guitar brilliance and harmonies all over the shop"

Music Week - "Switching from samples to Lush live intrumentation puts the songs to the fore on this third album from Nottingham duo. While their rich, warm sound remains, the album feels more cohesive and so could have a more mainstream appeal. Dates with a full live band, including last week's big chill festival, will reinforce their new found rock-god status."