London-based guitarist and Berklee alumnus Kurtis Li possesses a formidable array of credentials, yet the mood of his debut album In Bloom is disarmingly gentle, the style unpretentious, even a little too understated at times.

In ‘New Moon’, his guitar softly elevates the swells of a string duet, while ‘Ripples’, which features Perico Sambeat on soprano saxophone, is blissful. ‘Fade Away’ and ‘Light’ mark a change in mood; relatively more upbeat, with lightly-sung vocals by Sarah Dowling accompanied by flute in the former tune, reminiscent of the Flora Purim and Joe Farrell pairing. The album is inspired by Li's life experiences, an ‘intimate diary’ which portrays the wetlands of his native Hong Kong and his travels around Spain amongst other things. It's an expression of curiosity and wonder at the surrounding world, of excitement, and perhaps, enviably, of fulfilment.