Having an otherworldly, ethereal hum and echo to their sound like fellow Americans Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear sound simultaneously baroque, distant, warm, sunny, introverted and emotive. This is a brave, beautiful record that takes a long time to connect with. It floats around before locking onto your synapses forever.

The sweet, sweet harmonies of Laurel Canyon’s hippy elite are a true inspiration here but so is a willingness not to conform to straight indie pop shapes. Theirs is pure pop, recorded down a well by a bunch of geeks who don’t know the power of what they say or do. The effect is startling, surprising and often almost magical.

(Warp)