Sumie

Music runs in Sumie Nagano's family – her sister Yukimi is lead singer of Swedish electronica band Little Dragon. The associations end there – there's not a synthesiser in sight on the thirtysomething's debut; instead, Sumie's style is based around plaintive acoustic guitar and a voice that sounds like it's been plucked from the bosom of the 1970s British folk scene, particularly on the sparse opener, Spells You, and the harmony-infused highlight Burden of Ease. The guitar motifs are often hypnotic and the undercurrent ominous, while the ghostly drift of background voices on Show Talked Windows and the sweet, swoon-inducing vocal layering on Midnight Glories helps adorn Sumie's overly basic approach. Many other songs are crying out for embellishment to add texture, but as debuts go it's a promising calling card. sumienagano.com
Download: Midnight Glories, Burden of Ease