Indians

Like Coke and Pepsi, subtlety and slightness occasionally get confused. With his debut, Somewhere Else, Copenhagen singer-songwriter Søren Løkke Juul (aka Indians) embraces the former, delivering a deceptively lush record full of moments of striking beauty. From the adjectives surrounding Juul's effort ("thoughtful," "personal," "nuanced," etc.), it could be superficially mistaken for a singer-songwriter or bedroom record — admittedly, "Bird" does evoke Youth Lagoon. Still, it's hardly insular. "New" may be ethereal, full of muted percussion and fluttering vocals, but thanks to Juul's voice, it expands into Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses) territory. "I Am Haunted" brings an acoustic guitar to the foreground, yet swathes it in funhouse effects and, fittingly, hides the vocals, while "Reality Sublime" borders on upbeat (think laidback M83, but without the crescendo). Not all of Juul's ideas are fully realized ("Lips, Lips, Lips" and "Magic Kids," for example), though standout track "Somewhere Else" shows a definite ability to go grand. Shame about the band name though.