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Dec 10, 2013 Issue #48 - November/December 2013 - HAIM By Austin Trunick

Smilewound is the sixth full-length release from this Icelandic electronic group. The band has extended its experimental tendencies for another outing; however, this time it sounds more reserved and relaxed than ever, regularly allowing returning founder Gyða Valtýsd—ttir’s voice to dissipate delicately across the top of the mix as the jittery, digital rhythms run undercurrent. The results are catchy; the opening trio of “Toothwheels,” “Underwater Snow,” and “When Girls Collide” have a gummy, sticking ability. Others, such as “Slow Down” and the mostly-instrumental “Candlestick,” temper the pace, playing with the simple beauty of spaciousness. The record closes with a collaboration with Kylie Minogue titled “Whistle,” a sweetly-whispered dénouement. (The track originally debuted on the Jack and Diane soundtrack.) Smilewound is a notably more pop effort from this hard-to-forecast group, and perhaps its most smoothly consumable record. It won’t shock anyone if the next goes in a noticeably different direction. (www.mum.is)

Author rating: 7/10