Holly Miranda - The Magician's Private Library

Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Holly Miranda may appear to be something of a an edgy indie-pop newcomer, but the release of her debut full-length, The Magician's Private Library (XL, February 23) is actually the culmination of more that a decade's worth of writing and performing. Most recently the frontwoman for The Jealous Girlfriends, Miranda released a solo EP Sleep On Fire last year, which she describes as "pretty homemade", sparking a steady buzz from blogosphere cred gatekeepers, a shout out from Kanye West and production for her new project from Dave Sitek (TV On the Radio).

Full of shadowy, brooding and atmospheric songs that recall Feist, Portishead and Bat For Lashes, The Magician's Private Library tempers lush, electronic beds with serrated shards of minor key guitar and violin shadings, insistent beats, loping bass runs and vocals that are often multi-tracked in harmonies that intentionally never seem to quite match up. The effect is an incongruous fusion of gleaming, richly textured instrumentation, turned askew and distorted, and melodies that glide by with just an occasional bump in the dark. Lead track "Waves" is a glimmering, slow motion 3am dreamscape of electronic mosaics, Miranda's voice a mix of cool nonchalance with a glint of menace, a Valentine wrapped in barbed wire. Recommended.

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Holly Miranda - "Waves" (from the album The Magician's Private Library)

Holly Miranda - "No One Just In" (from the album The Magician's Private Library)

Holly Miranda - "Everytime I Go to Sleep" (original EP version) (from the album The Magician's Private Library)

Photo: Kurt Christensen

Photo: Andrew Tingle

Photo: Sarah Bastin