With the release of her second album Hunting My Dress in the U.K. November 30, the brilliant, intrepid songstress Jesca Hoop becomes yet another talented American artist to find a more welcoming musical home outside of the U.S. Maybe borders don't really matter much anymore in cyberspace where everything can be accessed with a click but it does say something pretty sad about the chances for adventurous artists like Hoop to find some kind of critical, concerted and supportive spotlight for an effective launch here. Following a major press campaign overseas and a European tour with Andrew Bird we find the silver lining: Hoop promises an early 2010 U.S. street for Dress.

Idle rants aside, now we have Hoop's new imported Dress: an album that, as expected, asks a lot of the listener in some respects but, also as expected, pays big dividends for those willing to hop on board for the ride. Working with producer and extraordinary guitarist Tony Berg and a troupe of talented players, Hoop has created miniature vocal sonicscapes of startling originality, building songs that flit and dart, build and then break down again all against a backdrop of stark guitar runs, boldly progressive time measures and a tiny grab bag of head-turning production surprises.

“My aim was to produce as much energy and force with as little sonic information as possible," observes Hoop. "Less is more was our motto." And in one of the best lines of the year adds, "Anything is worth trying and nothing is too precious to mute." We guarantee you won't hear anything this year quite as bracingly innovative as Hunting My Dress. Highly recommended.

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Jesca Hoop - "Whispering Light" (from the album Hunting My Dress)

Jesca Hoop - "Murder of Birds" (featuring Guy Garvey) (version from Kismet Acoustic EP)