Islands — Return To The Sea

The premature breakup of The Unicorns was one of the most disappointing in recent music history, but without it we wouldn't have Return To The Sea, a record with boundless ambition and stunning musicianship. Manchild Nick Diamonds and drummer J'aime Tambeur waste no time making an impact with opener "Swans (Life After Death)," a sprawling, hushed pop number that culminates with a superb rock-out finale. From there, a series of excellent whimsical pop tracks (highlighted by "Rough Gem") lead up to the album's masterpiece, "Where There's A Will There's A Whalebone," a dark collaboration with members of Th' Corn Gangg. On it, two furiously skilled rappers spit rhymes at lightning speed, bookended by Diamonds menacingly singing, "Laying low in a tropical hideout/If anyone finds out, we'll turn their lights out." And sure, it's a tad slow towards the end, but Diamonds still knows how to make a record so creative you won't hear another like it this year.