First Flight Yesboyicescream ****

I didn't know Irish musician Derrick Dalton, but I admired the bands he was a member of, from the NME-inspired, C86-type Hey Paulette to the tougher Mexican Pets and the rather more subtle Crumb. Prior to popping his indie-pop clogs, Dalton recorded, in typically DIY-independent mode, this wholly instrumental solo collection, which in turn is in thrall to Johnny Marr and indebted to Hank Marvin. The innately melodic sensibilities of the former and the pioneering twangs of the latter interconnect on First Flight, the mix of 1960s naivete and 1980s intricacy cross-cutting each other on several tunes. What cuts a swathe through the music is just how perfectly intuitive a melodicist Dalton was. This is light-fingered music, delivered with equal measures of sheer delight, droll wit and despondency. Check out a commemorative gig for Dalton in Dublin's Whelan's next Wednesday. See myspace.com/aeromodeller

Download tracks: Red Guitar Jangle, Night Flight