Produced by Tortoise’s John McEntire, Cougar’s debut LP Law is a nearly flawless example of intelligent musical design. The Madison, WI-based quintet seamlessly melds electronics and traditional instrumentation into an unclassifiable mixture of instrumental bliss that, while immediately listenable, grows in complexity with each successive spin. Throw the “cinematic” tag on road-trippers like “Strict Scrutiny” and “Interracial Dating” if you like, but the truth is that these two electro-acoustic numbers (and the remainder of Law) are so much more fulfilling than any film score of recent memory. It’s a compelling, infinitely satisfying execution of melodic subtlety and understatement.