New Look !K7***

It has been a good year for Canadian acts dabbling in beeps and bleeps, with New Look's Sarah Ruba and Adam Pavao lining up alongside Grimes, The Weeknd, Azari III and others. In the case of the Toronto husband and wife, their beautifully stark, minimal approach to slow-motion pop works a treat on these subtle, well-turned-out, dark nuggets. But while there are some lines to be drawn between this and the streamlined soundscapes of The xx, for instance, New Look are far more eager to work sensual and seductive notes into the edgy, woozy fabric on tracks such as Teen Needand Nap on the Bow. In between the electro shimmer and the plush melodramatic moods (best experienced on The Ballad), New Look – and especially vocalist Ruba, with that beautifully distinctive voice – show many good reasons to pay attention to what they'll produce in the long run. See newlookmusic.com

Download tracks: Teen Need, Nap on the Bow