Glasser

Her stunning debut of world music-inflected electronic pop hinted at a potential successor to Björk's kingdom of mainstream-friendly experimentation. Now, Cameron Mesirow (the mastermind behind Glasser) has crafted a follow up as dense, contained and introspective as Rings was spacious, open and expressive. Opener "Shape" finds the explorative composer mining familiar melodic territory (every singer has their favourite intervals) over a beat some might describe as "bangin'." It's good — very good — as is "Design," but the album doesn't find its subtly complex centre of puissance until the quirky, understated wriggles of "Landscape," its Broken Social Scene-esque, jazzy drum groove outro leading perfectly into the set's highlight: the insistent, crystalline "Forge." These beat-heavy tracks work best as the soundtrack to an agoraphobic's solo house party when coloured by Mesirow's fastidiously constructed, rhythmically adventurous arrangements. However, when the talented artist attempts a simple, constrained, mid-tempo, four-on-the-floor, repetitive dance track ("Keam Theme"), the results are lethargic and even a little annoying. Admittedly, as grating as it can be, once heard, the song is impossible to dislodge from your brain. The rest of the album flows seamlessly back to Glasser's sonic sweet spot: gorgeous, vocally driven, experimental electro pop with spice from an expansive listening palate. It may not be quite as consistent as its predecessor, but Interiors showcases the continued development of a vital emerging voice in popular music and features frequent moments of shiver-inducing beauty.