Cate Le Bon: Mug Museum

She came to prominence several years ago through her work with Gruff Rhys and Neon Neon, but Cate Le Bon steps out of the shadows in glorious fashion with her third album. The LA-based Welshwoman's idiosyncrasies are all over the quirky jumble of these songs. Her clipped accent and sensuous voice channel the spirit of Nico on Mirror Me and Dusty Springfield on I Think I Knew, a sweet, jangly duet with Perfume Genius. There's a bumbling, Belle & Sebastian-style indiepop tang to Are You With Me Now?, but Le Bon is definitely no coquettish, giggly siren, as the dark, krautrock bassline of No God and the ragged, organ-supplemented Wild illustrate. An album that's a pleasure to skim, but also has many layers to excavate. catelebon.com
Download: I Think I Knew, No God