On the Horizon: Grave Digging, The Skeleton Dead.

A Nick Cave-like baritone and an ethereal coo wafting atop sea shanty acoustics and a spot of synth, The Skeleton Dead are quite something, that something being despondently uplifting, hopelessly hopeful. If we're often rather superficial, somewhat short-sighted featuring no more than three minutes of any one artist, given the macabre, graveyard ethereality of London-based duo Tom and Claire we're going the whole hog. Here's a rundown of the four tracks we've experienced thus far...
  A Nautical Theme by The Skeleton Dead
Emerging amidst the sounds of knocking on heaven's door out in the eye of Channel tempest, A Nautical Theme sounds a little like a bedraggled Brad Hargett washing up in a deserted Calais.
  Are You Going to Overreact? by The Skeleton Dead
Are You Going To Overreact? introduces Claire as sultry vocals swoon over swirling slide guitars, equal parts gruelling and glorious.
  I Get So Lonesome Without You by The Skeleton Dead
Medieval nylon strings and once again rather nautical rhythmic ebbing and flowing, I Get Lonesome Without You could be considered the most spiritual song never to have graced Glastonbury.
  Gather Up Your Clothes by The Skeleton Dead
Nylon strings return on Gather Up Your Clothes, Tom's deadpan vox drawling lyrics of slot machines, beer jackets, static caravans and bank holidays.

For more info on The Skeleton Dead, their Myspace can be found here, whilst their Soundcloud currently houses these four startling pieces of splendour. We've been utterly endeared already. So too ought you.