ARMS AND SLEEPERS – Matador

Matador by Arms and Sleepers sounds kind of like the American equivalent to Sigur Ros. Their ambience isn’t as organic; they possess a much more robotic sound. But the robot is sentient and has developed a breathtaking array of emotions and has learned how to express them musically.

Each track on Matador could be played behind a suicide scene in some indie flick or be confidently rhymed over by Jay-Z and sound like it was custom fit for the occasion.

Fans of The Album Leaf will be comfortable listening to Arms and Sleepers if they’re looking for something with a bit more vocals — though the vocals aren’t laid on too heavy, and instead blend perfectly into the sonic background that is sometimes bubbling and swirling and sometimes being blown lightly into your ears by some unknowable breeze.

An amazing thing about Matador is that while the album as a whole can be listened to as one homogeneous entity, each individual song is clearly put together by carefully placed yet discernible bits and pieces. The piano shines on its own, as do the looping, delay-driven acoustic guitar flares. It’s like listening to a puzzle of a nature scene and it feels really good.

(Fake Chapter Records, 115 Romaine Ave., Maywood, NJ 07607)