KATE BUSH: Aerial (EMI)

THE good news is that Kate Bush is as batty and courageous as ever. Her first album in 12 years is a daring aural journey divided into two parts, A Sea of Honey and A Sky of Honey. The first disc is a personal reverie on domesticity, on which Kate even turns washing clothes into an erotic experience (Mrs Bartolozzi). Disc two is a gorgeous suite that embraces nature and creativity and demands undivided attention. It even includes a cameo from Rolf Harris that doesn't break the dreamy mood. There are pop moments in the Bush tradition (King of the Mountain, How to Be Invisible), but for the most part this is sonic seduction that will mesmerise the willing listener.

JEFF CRAWFORD