This is a review of "Retreat" recorded by Vessels. The review was written by Steve Elvidge in 2009.

Originally released exclusively for Vessels' tour this spring, 'Retreat' brings us nine tracks of mixes mainly from the gentle Leeds post-rockers' debut LP 'White Fields and Open Devices' which was released last year to positive late night Radio One style reviews.

The tracks fuse into one cohesive whole on first listen, with the ambience fused with touches of electronica and fractured beats. 'Altered Beast' has become fully altered by Vessel Lee J. Malcolm and 'Wave those Arms' becomes a stuttering glitch fest courtesy of Little Evil.

The best track here is probably the best track on the debut LP, the aptly titled 'An Idle Brain and the Devils Workshop,' with the Errors' squelchy mathy start giving way to a gentler synth arpeggio, ending at three and a half minutes for another six minutes of silence before the guitar-led 'hidden track' 'Knee Jerk' which starts pleasantly pastoral before rocking out.

Would you need these if you already have the first LP? Probably not, it does taste a little bit too much of mates remixing mates at times, but as a mid priced stop gap while Vessels work on the next LP, it does its job.