Caribou: Andorra

Label: Merge

Sometimes with the passage of time you go back and listen to a record you initially liked and go, “eh.” Sometimes with the passage of time you go back and listen to a record you initially liked and go, “Wow, this is one great record.” The latter is most definitely the case with Andorra, the latest bizarro work from one-man electro-pop wonder Dan Snaith, better known as Cariboy (formerly Manitoba). So intricate and heavily layered is this psychedelic-tinged glop of songs that it demands repeated listenings to absorb it all. The exuberant wash of noise is far more vintage-tinged than anything he’s released to date, thanks in part to the layered vocal harmonies and intricately crafted melodies, but the subtly innovative electronic edge and spot-on production keeps it fresh. Standouts include the gleefully sentimental “She’s the One,” complete with the most earnest sleigh bells you’ll hear this year, and the sitar-laced “Eli” that sounds straight out of 1967. With his sixth release, Snaith is at his most accessible, but not for lack of experimentation. The sometimes kaleidoscopic sound structure remains firmly rooted to the melody, and the overall bliss-fest is nearly irresistible. (Faith)