Album Focus: I Was A Cub Scout – 'I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope'

Hi, I'm Nate Lanxon and welcome to Encoded's Album Focus - the show where we pick out the most exciting release of the week, filling three minutes of your time with golden nuggets of truth. This week, it's all about I Was A Cub Scout.

Out on Monday, I Want You To Know That There Is Always Hope is the synth-pop duo's first proper album and follows on from the growing success of their singles, the most recent of which, a re-release of 'Pink Squares', has been getting major radio play from 6 Music and Radio 1.

The album was recorded with producer Hugh Padgham, known for his work with the likes of David Bowie and XTC, and takes his gated drum sounds and layered synths on a journey through emo, progressive pop and ambient electro without dwelling too long in any one box, creating a sweeping, eclectic head-nodder that's reminiscent of Postal Service.

By heading over to the official I Was A Cub Scout website, you'll find three of the bands' videos considerately plonked together, as well as an opportunity to join their tour team. This basically means you stand around in the freezing cold giving out badges and flyers to loitering indie rascals outside venues in exchange for getting your name on the guestlist. Personally, I'd rather pay a fiver to get in, but hey, I'm a presenter, I can afford it.

You can catch I Was A Cub Scout out on tour right throughout February, supported by the amazing Rolo Tomassi. To find out where your nearest show is and to preview a few album tracks, go to their MySpace page.

Next week's album will be Hold On Now, Youngster, by Los Campesinos, so until then, err, hold on now, youngster? I don't know how I come up with them. Seeya.