NO-ONE other than Kate Bush would end a 12-year silence by singing about a washing machine! But then again, nobody else would be able to get away with it.

Not only does she get away with it but Aerial is arguably her best, a sumptuous delight for all her music-starved devotees. The siren with the glass-shattering voice has marked her return with a double album packed with classic Kate Bush sounds. Haunting melodies compete with birdsong, and Rolf Harris even pops up to have his say.

Many of the tracks are unlikely to see the light of day as Aerial is hardly a commercial venture. The serenity of the tracks seem to allow Bush to reflect on her long exile - time spent bringing up a family including young Bertie who has a whole song devoted to him.

Mrs Bartolozzi has the songstress in a lather over her washing while the first single off the album, King of the Mountain, seems to be devoted to Elvis.

The second disc flows at an even gentler pace starting with the hypnotic Prelude and continuing at a pace with the excellent Sunset and mesmeric Nocturn. Aerial may be complex and it can also be challenging but, given a chance, it is utterly rewarding.

DL