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Sep 15, 2014 Lia Ices By Christian Koons

For her third LP, Lia Ices has traded the delicate folk of her first two records for a more adventurous, percussive sonic palette. Opening track “Tell Me” has the all the hypnotic melody of a snake charmer’s flute and all the rhythm of a full-bore drum circle. On the single “Higher,” a twanging hammer dulcimer gives way to the crunch of distorted electric guitar—a combination that works surprisingly well. As with Ices’ previous work, the vocal melodies are at the center, but this time around she is careful to match the cadence of her singing with each song’s rhythmic backbone, a tactic similar to the vocal stylings of Animal Collective’s Panda Bear. Her mystic flair will likely bring comparisons to Bat For Lashes, but the buoyant, optimistic grooves that characterize the record may bring her closer to the camp of dream-pop outfits like Washed Out and Purity Ring. Many of the songs follow a basic four-chord structure, and the repetition may become tiring, but overall there is plenty here to keep listeners interested—some of it exceptional. (www.liaices.com)

Author rating: 7.5/10