Wildbirds & Peacedrums

Following a lot of wholehearted praise for last year's Heartcore, Swedish husband-wife duo Wildbirds & Peacedrums have quickly returned with follow-up The Snake. And while Mariam Wallentin and husband Andreas Werliin stick close to the stripped-down vocals/drums formula of their debut, they definitely expand on their complex, forward-thinking pop, making for a richer, warmer, denser record, as well as one that brings increased variety. Everything from Southern gospel to jazz to aboriginal throat singing and Scandinavian experimentalism makes an appearance on The Snake, with Werliin's kinetic, tribal thump keeping time while Wallentin's vocals flow out like an avant-diva raised on a steady diet of Björk, Antony Hegarty and decades' worth of soul singers. It's all very highbrow, for sure, but like Dirty Projectors recently proved with their Bitte Orca, that doesn't have to come at the expense of pure, simple enjoyment, something The Snake is full of.