Psapp

Alternately fragile and bold, the duo of Carim Clasmann and singer Galia Durant seem to have their bases covered with their second effort, yet there still seems to be something missing to make this truly memorable. Psapp start the album with an able bang as they, well, bang a whole bunch of weird instruments together in a folktronica manner to accompany Durant’s smoky voice. The addition of weird, unmusical sounds has been used in music before, and Psapp are sometimes guilty of better tries than actual achievements. But, for one song that does break through, "New Rubbers” is a definite triumph. You would think the repeating "ding” of a cash register and other assorted unusual sounds may grate, but by combining these cold ideas with the warmth of string samples and Durant’s vocal pining is inspired. The most full-blooded track ends up near the end with "Eating Spiders,” which is the closest Psapp may come to a radio hit. With the warm drums and lack of idiosyncratic samples, it actually exudes a bit of a trip-hop vibe, without giving into the bland trappings of that long-dead genre. While the album sometimes is obsessed with its own ingenuity, when Psapp loosen up they’re actually pretty inviting.