With Welsh bands like Soft Hearted Scientists and The Mau-Maus, Wales is developing a new reputation as "home to the strange".

Soft Hearted Scientists, who have a new EP out early in the summer, occupy a world which lies close but separately to this one.

The Midnight Mutinies EP is the third offering from the band, who are forming an image as the weirdest in an altogether odd pack of new groups.

Their desire to be different is untempered by commercial instinct and comes from the heart.

The band are promoting the new EP with a one track CD which has the lead song, Isabelle (Keep Riding The Road To The Sea).

It floats out of the speakers like a warped sea shanty set to a modest jig made out of snippets from and old fashioned fairground organ.

Although not exactly original (For The Benefit Of Mister Kite, anyone?) it's a pleasing tune which also has Gong leanings.

Isabella comes with the Soft Hearted Scientist's first promotional video which, like all the band's publicity, doesn't feature the band's members (hence no photos in Mono).

Instead the video features ghostly galleons and a very spooky fairground in a particularly psychedelic setting.

* The Midnight Mutinies EP is out soon on a limited edition run of 1,000 copies.