Apparat (the solo moniker of Sascha Ring) has spent the last few years and albums refining his particular brand of digital shoegaze, which courts both the skittery, disjointed aesthetic of IDM and the gauzy, initimate textures of ambient electro in equal measure.

While 2007’s critically acclaimed 'Walls' was built upon a delicate balance between deconstructed beats and melancholy warmth, 'The Devil’s Walk' sees Apparat committing more and more to his ambient explorations. For most of the record, Ring’s mournful, pop-tinged vocals float above yearning chord progressions spelt out upon reverb-drenched pianos, processed acoustic guitars and gently thrumming synths.

This sound, it must be said, is extremely inviting. Ring’s formidable skills as a creator and manipulator of sounds are second to none and anyone with an appreciation for seamless and skilful ambient productions will find a good deal to enjoy here.

Apparat falters, however, when he tries to transform his meticulously constructed productions into memorable songs. Having discarded the IDM foundation that anchored 'Walls', Ring instead leans on climactic post-rock dynamics to deliver the emotional payoff that his lyrics of solitude and lost love require. This approach, more often than not, comes across as self-consciously sentimental. It becomes a bit too easy to see Ring’s hands tugging at our heartstrings behind the yearning, washed-out crescendos that litter the record’s first half.

That’s not to say 'The Devil’s Walk' is without its moments. ‘Song of Los’ and ‘Candil de la Calle’ marry infectious chorus hooks with some much-needed rhythmic backbone, reminiscent of Apparat’s IDM salad days. There’s also an interesting turn into uncharted sonic territory with the last three songs. On ‘Ash Black Veil’, Ring digs deep, delivering a keening, dramatic vocal over a claustrophobic and propulsive arrangement of racing acoustic guitars and glitch drums that Telefon Tel Aviv would be proud of. Then comes ‘A Bang in the Void’, a welcome and loving homage to Steve Reich’s classical minimalism.

'The Devil’s Walk' is an uneven record, where moments of genuine beauty and some daring sonic exploration sit uncomfortably alongside cloying sentimentality and unfocused songwriting.