Atlas Sound: Logos

Label: Kranky

His second release as Atlas Sound sees Bradford Cox, the inimitable Deerhunter frontman, crafting woozy pastiches of samples, synth, guitar and his own double(/triple/quadruple)-tracked, lispingly lo-fi vocal streamers. Cox has a real ear for melody, but he’s also a creative maniac. Not content to leave a song to its own vague structure, he piles on bits and pieces until the listening feels more like a dreamy snorkel than an airy stroll. Even so, many of the tracks shine through the fog as real pop gems. In particular, “Walkabout,” which features an obscure Nuggets sample and Noah Lennox (aka Panda Bear, an obvious influence on Cox) taking over vocal duties, “Criminals,” with its bucket rhythms and psyched-out guitar, and the sunny, poignant compromise of “Sheila” (“No one wants to die alone,” Cox reasons, “Sheila! / We’ll die alone together”). (Abby)