5 new releases we love: Vagabon breaks through, Mark Lanegan looks forward, and more
Jónsi & Alex Somers, Lost & Found
[Krunk, October 11]
Jónsi & Alex Somers’ Riceboy Sleeps is almost too beautiful. To call it an “ambient” record feels wrong—there’s no way its lush, mountainous acoustics could operate as background noise. Lost & Found, on the other hand, works a touch better in that regard. A surprise LP—and, per its liner notes, a “sibling album” to Riceboy Sleeps—the six-track collection weaves in subdued synth work and tape hiss with the acoustic soundscapes and choral swells of its predecessor, resulting in a piece that soothes the senses instead of overwhelming them. “Boy,” for example, has all the hallmarks of Riceboy, but its crackling spine and modulated choir complicate its beauty—it’s more of a blanket to crawl under than an open sky to soar through. There’s still plenty to swoon over: Closer “Wind In Our Ears” is a radiant sunrise in the vein of Riceboy’s “Happiness.” It’s leavened somewhat by firmer textures—tumbling stones, perhaps, or distant fireworks—but it still sings with longing, hope, and defiance. [Randall Colburn]
Vagabon, Vagabon
[Nonesuch, October 18]
Indie soul rocker Laetitia Tamko, a.k.a. Vagabon, is going through an evolution on her self-titled sophomore album. Gone are the scrappy, guitar-driven harmonies that defined Infinite Worlds, making way for a more experimental, synth-bolstered soundscape that still feels heartfelt—and way more personal. Vagabon is a collection born of anxiety, a product of an artist who hit a creative wall upon her return from a successful tour. But she eventually overcame industry pressures and found her footing as a producer, subverting genre with a combination of neo-soul poetry, gauzy vocals, and digital undertones. Swimming against the album’s calming current is the vibrant dance track “Water Me Down,” bound together with a buoyant, thumping beat and a clean melody. Vagabon has processed the complexities and frustrations of her relationships until something inherently hopeful materialized. [Shannon Miller]