Without knowing it, I've spent quite a extensive amount of time listening to the intensely melodic music written by Keith Kenniff. A man of many aliases, Kenniff composed the incredibly beautiful album Corduroy Road, under the name Goldmund. That record dominated my late night listening last year. Now comes his second release, Eingya, as Helios (named after the early Greek god of the Sun), and it's just as stunning.

Is this man capable of writing anything that is not gorgeous? The tracks on Eingya are delicate blends of shuddering, hollow rhythms and warm acoustic guitars. One is pushed to the background and encased in layers of melancholy, giving Eingya a sense of forelorn space. The other is gentle and inviting, calming drawing close with intimate advances. Kenniff's guitar playing is a vividly human presence in a cold atmosphere. Each song is tastefully embroidered with accompaniments from pianos, strings and ghost-like samples.

The record is garnering praise from around the globe, judging from the reviews gathered at Type Records, Kenniff's label and home to other excellent artists like Khonnor and Paavoharju. "11 wordless, dream-drenched vignettes whose influences are known only to Kenniff," writes The Seattle Weekly. Listen to "The Toy Garden" (MP3) and understand why the compliments have been so effusive.