Metal & Dust
The lightly chilled bedroom electro-pop of much-buzzed trio London Grammar is heavy on the spacious atmospherics and moody trip-hop beats, creating a relatively open stage for Hannah Reid's rich, haunting and spotlight-grabbing vocals. Songs from their new EP Metal and Dust (June 25, Columbia) throb with a gentle, almost symphonic pulse -- minus the heavy production -- recalling the lush, plugged-in melodies of Zero 7 or the more beat-driven songs of Everything But The Girl. Knob twiddlers and compu-keyboardists Dot Major and Dan Rothman lay down the digitally textured soundscapes with no small amount of skill and restraint, but the art/pop proceedings would come across as a generically mellow rehash without the stunning instrument that is Hannah Reid's voice. Yes, it's that good. Stream (and watch the video for) "Wasting My Young Years" below.