Ambition realised

Shane Gilchrist presents a special Summer Times selection of albums worth exploring. Today: Bic Runga goes for a more experimental vibe on her fourth studio effort, Belle.

Who: Having burst through in 1997 with debut album Drive, aptly named, given major label Sony allowed her the freedom to produce it, Bic Runga then took five years to follow up with 2002 effort Beautiful Collision, another three years to release 2005's Birds, then spent six years working on her latest, that lengthy gap due to the birth of her son in 2006.

About the album: Somewhat ironically for an artist who has won the APRA Silver Scroll Songwriting Award, Belle works so well primarily because of Runga's decision to open the doors to collaborations with others; in particular, Kody Neilson, former frontman for The Mint Chicks.

Cluttered with details and textures, Belle is a warm-sounding album that, finally, fully realises the sonic ambition for which Runga has strived.

It's gritty, dense and almost psychedelic in places, with "This Girl's Prepared For War", the ethereal title track and the "Devil On Tambourine" spinning off in all directions.

Highlight: "Devil On Tambourine".
For those who like: Serge Gainsbourg meets Dusty Springfield.