Formed in 2003 in fashionable Deptford, The Shortwave Set consists of Andrew Petitt, Ulrike Bjorsne and David Farrell, three boho types with a shared love of junk shops, old records and bars. Holed up together in a tiny flat they constructed this, their debut album, with various broken instruments and samples filched from dusty charity shop LPs. At least that’s how the story goes. How much of it is true and how much is down to the band’s self mythologizing is uncertain. This is a band who refer to their music as ‘Victorian funk’ after all…

But wait! Because affected they may be, but this is still one of the most surprising and enjoyable albums to be released this year.

In truth the Victorian funk tag isn’t particularly appropriate. For while they are very funky in places, there’s little here that reeks of musty Victoriana. Instead this is a sunny delight of an album, warm and vibrant, with a healthy sense of humour and a fistful of beautiful melodies. Slingshot is indie rock with hip hop beats. Is It Any Wonder? mixes swooning tropicalia with heartbreak, and new single, Repeat to Fade, is rich in digital textures and soaring vocals.

The influences here are many and blatant. With the cut n’ paste humour of The Avalanches, shambolic Beta Band beats and vocals reminiscent of early Cardigans all thrown into the mix, there’s a danger that the band could lose their identity. But the combined harmonies of Bjorsne and Petitt make a winning contrast to Farrell’s glitchy programming.

Amongst these gems are a couple of tracks so flimsy they could float away on a breeze. Heap of Other is forgettable and final song, Yr Room, ends with the band giving up halfway through to go and watch the football. It’s a weirdly appropriate end to the record.

It’s not perfect then, a little bit worn and tatty in places, but this is still one of the most enjoyable albums to be released this year and promises much for The Shortwave Set’s future.