Pluperfect Mind (studio album) by Dear Laika

In a year with so many great records Pluperfect Mind stands out as my favourite, it has to be the most exciting album I've heard in any years. This stands out in the first few seconds of the opener, 'Lilac Moon, Reflected Sun' where a burst of violins(?) create a sound like nothing I've heard. It reminds me of the first couple of seconds of Julia Holter's aviary which also kicks off with the loudest moments you'll hear on the whole album. Just a few minutes later I was astonished again when the backing instrumental, starting as a minimalist piano explodes into life in the time it takes Isabelle Thorn to sing one note. As incredible as a track like this is, it's some of the tracks that (comparatively) calm things down that stand out as some of my favourites. 'Guinefort's Grave' is one of the most stunning track I've heard and works in a similar way to it's louder predecessor by paying really close attention to the backing instruments that accompany the stunning vocals. This becomes a running theme through the album and creates a restlessness amongst every track here as the sound can go from tiny to huge at a moment's notice. It makes every moment wonderfully unpredictable without thing coming even close to going off the rails.

To pull all this off and still hold on to an emotional core is remarkable. While I can barely make out what's being said most of the time there's so many moments here that manage to move me, with the sense of peace on 'Black Moon, Lilith' really standing out on this point. I really hope that this album gets the attention it deserves in time and I can't wait to get through the rest of the Dear Laika discography.