Caribou — Andorra

Andorra

Merge

Noah Love (CHARTattack)

08/21/2007 3:54pm

As artistic evolution goes, there are few who have made more dramatic leaps than Caribou. Dan Snaith started as a laptop electronic minimalist and, over the course of four records and a PhD, has transformed into indie's eminent psych-pop prince. Andorra, his Merge debut, features such a staggering leap in technical skill that it's hard to believe it comes from the same man who produced the knob-twiddling Start Breaking My Heart. First and foremost, "Melody Day" is such an arresting opener that it's just as likely to inspire dance floor movement as dropped jaws. The two tracks that follow, "Sandy" and "After Hours," feature dizzying drum lines, and the latter has note-perfect spaced-out guitars. The only strange thing is how much some of the record sounds like The Beta Band, granted far and away more focused and concise. It's not going to shock anyone by coming totally out of left field, like Up In Flames did half a decade ago, but this will probably be Caribou's most talked-about release in the decades to come thanks to its impossibly addictive melodies and a soul-grabbing vocal effort. Andorra's a classic.