Memoryhouse

Toronto, ON duo Memoryhouse crafted and self-released the achingly beautiful The Years EP to some acclaim last year, but it didn't sound quite like this. The EP has been fully re-recorded, remixed and remastered for release by Sub Pop, and the result is exquisite: singer Denise Nouvion's voice has never sounded better and Evan Abeele's production, though originally subdued, has been scaled back even more to open up the songs' atmospheric cores. Tracks like "To the Lighthouse" and EP highlight "Lately" are even more affecting than before, while new tracks "Modern, Normal" and "Quiet America" revel in the hazy, emotive ambiance of the revamped older songs. In the absence of middling track "The Waves," The Years also sounds more cohesive than it did in its self-released form, giving Memoryhouse a sound that's well-defined without being limited, making their forthcoming debut full-length a mouth-watering prospect.