When it comes to creative endeavours, a little bit of providence always helps. Dublin vocalist Rebecca Collins and Danish guitarist Mikkel Ploug met by chance at the Dublin Fringe Festival several years ago, sparked creatively and formed a musical alliance that is now based full-time in Copenhagen. Their debut album is a brilliantly unusual blend of Scandinavian indie sensibilities that evokes The Cardigans (Like Gold, Stop Talking), a heady dose of oddball pop akin to Cathy Davey's quirky approach (Just Dust), and some sultry, offbeat grooves that sound like they've been plucked from the outtakes of Goldfrapp's Felt Mountain album (Geronimo Fever, You That I Use). The result is an absorbing album that engages the brain, but light enough to keep toes tapping and shoulders shaking.
theunusualhistoryofether.com
Download: Crazy Elk, Like Gold
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Lauren Murphy
Lauren Murphy is a freelance journalist and broadcaster. She writes about music and the arts for The Irish Times
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