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Singers of seasons, players of Floyd-tinged folk-prog, Mostly Autumn have been at one with nature and sweet, pagan-ish tunes for nearly 20 years. Now they’ve written a concept album about the impact of murder. It’s a blackened change of tack, but it could be one of the best musical decisions mainman Bryan Josh has made.

The plaintive, storytelling-through-song aspect – propelled by Olivia Sparnenn’s prettily articulated vocals – may arouse suspicion from those less keen on new-age girly singing (complete with ‘daisy chains’, ‘laying by rivers’ and other woodland frolics, in Skin On Skin). And yet sharpened, majestic overtones and quietly ominous moments make this album a genuinely commanding prospect.

Symphonic qualities develop in Not Yours, and as the melancholy narrative grows, some exquisite tones emerge – with moving, original vocal strains and guitar lines singing out of the title track. A pretty, imaginative dive into the dark side.

Polly is deputy editor at Classic Rock magazine, where she writes and commissions regular pieces and longer reads (including new band coverage), and has interviewed rock's biggest and newest names. She also contributes to Louder, Prog and Metal Hammer and talks about songs on the 20 Minute Club podcast. Elsewhere she's had work published in The Musician, delicious. magazine and others, and written biographies for various album campaigns. In a previous life as a women's magazine junior she interviewed Tracey Emin and Lily James – and wangled Rival Sons into the arts pages. In her spare time she writes fiction and cooks.