With his Messianic looks and organ stop eyes, Hellborg (lummy even the name's scary) is nothing if not committed to the bass. However, a whole album centring on solo outings for acoustic bass guitar may sound a tad indulgent. Yet The Silent Life is curiously satisfying. While many of his electric releases run to excess, most cuts here are blessedly brief. Hellborg's at his most interesting in meditative mode, wresting chordal shapes you rarely expect from an instrument not known for its harmonic potential. ‘Deep Pig’ in particular reflects Hellborg's fascination with Arabic and eastern modes. He can of course slap ‘n’ pop with the best, ‘Wounded Knee’ being a spectacular rocker, but it's in those moments best suited to his chosen instrument – the opening to ‘Low’ for example, mixing a high musing against an almost sub-sonic bottom end – that Hellborg grabs your attention.