Hannah Peel 'Sugar Hiccup' (from the 'Rebox' EP, Static Caravan, 2010)

Hannah Peel has a rather fine album of gently-shaded folk-inspired songs and it's something that caught my ear in Rough Trade recently. Produced by and embellished by members of the fabulous Tunng, it's a real treat.

It did, however, lead me via Youtube, to this excellently quirky EP of new wave covers. Released in 2010 and long sold out, the 'Rebox' EP, features songs by New Order (Blue Monday), OMD (Electricity) and Soft Cell (well, Tainted Love, so actually Gloria Jones). Whilst it's a similar approach to that of Nouvelle Vague, Hannah Peel renders the synth-pop through the medium of the punched-card music box.

The real stand-out of the EP for me, though, is not the 80s synthpop, it's her cover of Cocteau Twins' 'Sugar Hiccup'. Originally a track from the Sunburst and Snowblind EP in 1983 (on the peerless 4AD label), 'Sugar Hiccup' was a swirling fog of blissfully, ahem, sky-soaring guitars.

Hannah Peel renders it as a sweet, laconic ballad. Rather wonderful.



Watch Cocteau Twins 'Sugar Hiccup' (Youtube)