Mazzy Star

There's something about 2013 that convinced long-dormant, but still worshipped artists to break their silence with new releases (see: My Bloody Valentine, the Pastels, Medicine and Sebadoh). Californian dream-folk duo Mazzy Star join the club with their first new album since 1996's Among My Swan. According to instrumentalist David Roback, he and vocalist Hope Sandoval "were always recording and writing" over the years, just out of the public ear. Judging by the self-produced Seasons of Your Day (only their fourth album in 24 years), it's as if nothing has changed. Sandoval, now 47, hasn't aged a day when it comes to her voice; it's still silky smooth, radiantly melding with Roback's seductive slide guitar, harmonica and vibes on "Common Burn," or matching the late Bert Jansch's swampy, Delta blues guitar on "Spoon." Seasons of Your Day is more of the same hypnotic, druggy folk Sandoval and Roback are known for, aligning itself perfectly with the group's other three albums. Of course, it doesn't have anything near as memorable as defining hit "Fade Into You," but it will satiate those in need of a long overdue dose of Mazzy Star's sleepy, bewitching powers.