Bat For Lashes Two Suns

• Words: Lulu McAllister
• Label: Astralwerks
• XLR8R Rating: 8.5/10

Three years ago, Bat for Lashes leading lady Natasha Khan entered the scene with the wide-eyed, mystic folk-pop of her debut full-length, Fur & Gold. On her sophomore album, Two Suns, she builds off the organic quality of her earlier work, smartly keeping the drum-circle percussion, cavernous echoes, and sense of mystery. But this time around, she infuses these elements with layers of playful synths and rich, atmospheric samples. Tracks like "Glass" and "Sleep Alone" explore the edge of Khan’s vocal range, her lyrics brimming with tension as she details imagined epic battles. "Daniel" is a bright, catchy, string-tinged pop ballad, while "Two Planets" finds Khan polyrhythmically exploring the cosmos, as she is wont to do.