Brrr. On a sleety snowy day this makes most listening sense, preferably as you stare out at the snowflakes from indoors, a roaring fire conveniently on the go. It’s left to Norwegian ensemble Music for a While instead to don thick coats, scarves and warm gloves with all this wintry material to convey.

Getting a belated UK release this month this is largely classical fare, including such pieces as Schubert’s ‘Gute Nacht’, Handel’s ‘Will The Sun Forget to Streak’ and John Dowland’s ‘Come Heavy Sleep.’

The group is led by Norwegian cabaret singer Tora Augestad with jazz musicians Stian Carstensen (accordion/pedal steel guitar), trumpeter Mathias Eick, tuba player Martin Taxt and drummer Pål Hausken completing the band.

Recorded in Oslo studio Rainbow the sound is pristine and pure and OK, while it’s more or less a Christmas album, the steely poise of all concerned and suitably convincing atmosphere makes it distinct from the usual sickly sticky pudding we expect at this time of year.

Augestad has a stately control at all times and a certain austerity that the accompaniment of the album more than assists and complements. Eick’s moody interjections are a big plus point and Carstensen’s homespun contributions, particularly on pedal steel guitar add a touching intimacy. Worth discovering.

‘In the Bleak Midwinter’, the first track, is above