Atlas Sound – Parallax

Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox retains the mid-tempo groove of his band's more recent output on  this third officially released LP as Atlas Sound. A solo guise has always given the Atlantan virtuoso's fascination with experimental and ambient sounds a considerably extended scope, but here he demonstrates restraint.

With album visuals prepared by Mick Rock (David Bowie, Lou Reed), that 70s glam-aesthetic somehow seeps its way into the music – songs like Amplifiers and Lightworks hark back to the golden age of jangly radio pop, hinting at a desire to finally come forward and replace mystery with simplicity.

That dreamy, effects-heavy aspect synomymous with Atlas Sound can still be found – Modern Aquatic Nightsongs is a case in point, with its reverb-drenched vocals and dizzying electronics – but most of these cuts aren't so much adventurous as they are disciplined and refined. This is no bad thing, especially when the result is such a robust set of pop songs from an ever-evolving talent.