SINGAPORE : Radiohead did it, Coldplay did it, Electrico did it. And now, Leslie Low (picture) will be doing it.

The frontman with popular local band The Observatory will be offering free downloadable material — two albums' worth, mind you — on his website from next Thursday.

What's interesting is that this will be the first time the two albums — A Walking Purgatory (recorded in 1999) and Black Book (recorded from 2002 to 2004) — are getting an official airing.

"It's just a way to let people hear my music. These are songs that I wanted to release years back but never got around to because of other things I was doing," said the 37-year-old singer-songwriter.

"So when this website came about, I felt this was a way to do that — post tracks online, do something that's a bit more immediate, rather than having to go through the process of releasing a physical CD."

Featuring just Low and his guitar, the songs on these albums are delivered in a similar vein to his solo live performances — intimate musical observations with his characteristic delivery.

Fans of Humpback Oak — Low's previous band — might find some of the songs on Purgatory familiar, Low said, as they were originally meant for the band and have already been performed live. Similarly, The Observatory fans might recognise a couple of the tunes from Black Book. "We might have played them at gigs," said Low. "But they never actually ended up on any album."

"It's really just a gift for people who are interested, as I'm not selling them," he added with a laugh.

Each album will be available for free download from www.leslielow.com in two parts for a limited period.

A Walking Purgatory Part 1 will be available from May 15; with Part 2 available from May 31; Part 1 of Black Book will be available from June 15; with Part 2 going online from June 30. - TODAY/ra