An impressive debut here from L.A.-based electronic band, Baths, with 12 tracks on show displaying a consistent mood throughout, primarily based around downbeat moods created via dense layers of synthesised sound.

Thankfully, Baths are not adverse to the use of melody or vocals to add expression to their heavily layered ‘songwriting’. Beats bobble, glitch and glide beneath dulcet tones and soothing synthesiser lines, with the vocals varying between being deeply hidden in the mix or starkly at the forefront.

Some of these tracks are very good, the overall ambience belying some quite detailed production. Lovely Bloodflow, strongly reminiscent of Little Dragon’s Nordic brood, is sumptuously inviting, and the jittering psychedelic of Maximalist equally so – both embedded with thick patchwork melodies, emitting delirious ambient textures.

The slow-burning drawl of (heart), with its quirky samples and long-range Animal Collective-influenced vocals is another memorable effort – ridden with lucid background melodies and a propelling piano-driven cadence. Rafting Starlit Everglades is particularly predisposed to the Baltimore-based band’s enigmatic style.

Occasionally, Baths strip down their compositions to provide pure electronic pop, such as on Animals, whilst other times perhaps try a little too hard to be mystifying, Rain Smell is so slow, plodding, and the sounds so congealed, it becomes depressing in the end.

Ordinarily, however, Baths achieve the right balance, and despite being heavily influenced by some rather obvious sources, and the record fading a little towards the end – perhaps due to it becoming a little samey and one-paced, Cerulean is certainly an interesting and appealing debut with more than a few luminous moments.