"Few would equate dancing at the Hacienda in its hedonistic acid house heyday with contemplating grief, middle age, long-term illness and the morals of the current prime minister, but that’s Octavia Freud for you. Martin Andrews enjoyed his formative music experiences at the legendary Manchester club and has brought that music into his today where he finds himself fifty, a father and furious with the Teflon-coated shyster with his hand on the country’s tiller.

‘Land Ahoy’ is an album rich in variety, intelligence, wit and most importantly tunes that’ll worm their way into your head as you worm your way onto the dancefloor. While the subject matter if often heavy – remembering a friend who died too young on ‘I Find This Hard’; facing middle age and self worth on ‘50’, and skewering Boris Johnson on ‘Boris Can Dance’ – the music often rises against; this is a party first and foremost.

There is room for more abrasive, industrial-heavy electronic noise (album opener ‘Circle of Light’), but it’s tempered with full-on disco fun (‘Hot Nights’) and effervescent yet cynical synth-pop (the Younger Younger 28s-styled ‘Straight To the Top, featuring Mila Todd on joint vocals). The last of those provides perhaps the album’s high point both musically as well as mood wise, but everyone will have a personal favourite, from the Happy Mondays-go-darkwave sci-fi swagger-funk of ‘Long Hauler’, to ‘50’ where Underworld meets Yard Act via John Cooper Clarke.

The title ‘Land Ahoy’ references Martin coming to terms with life and it’s a set of songs that perfectly balances reflection with buoyancy. Last month’s front cover feature revealed a man with a story to tell and that comes across well here, but the album also reveals a man who you’d be happy to spend a mad night out clubbing with. ‘Land Ahoy’ maybe but let’s hope the Octavia Freud ship has many more seas to sail before it finally settles into port." (Bekti Manish) NIGHTSHIFT MAG