After Carissa's Weird called it a day, Robin Peringer and Gilden Tunador decided to keep working together. Figg is less poppy and more conceptual, but long-time fans will certainly find comfort here. While still nominally shoegaze, Figg wanders far afield, often embracing acoustic arrangements and more.

Figg Figg (self-released)

While I am not fully immersed in the sound of Carissa's Weird, my sense is that this is largely a case of "more." Peringer and Tunador haven't changed their approach as much as expanded it. As this album winds along, the duo's creativity comes more and more into focus.

I'm not sure where to draw the line between "chamber pop" and "shoegaze" (and I hate genre labels, no matter how nice it is to use shorthand), and Figg simply obliterates it. Indeed, there are songs here that would fit in quite nicely on an americana playlist. Figg doesn't color within the lines, even as it spins these tightly-wound gems.

There's a lot of crap flying around these days. Sometimes it's nice to sit and have a good think. Figg encourages contemplation, and it does so without somnambulance. Let this one sneak up on you.

Jon Worley