The Dolls – self-titled (Huume/Inertia)

This is one of those strange hybrids that did not exist before these three distinct personalities came together. And it’s an evocative post chanteuse experimental house outing, where jazz, electronics and weirdness can’t usurp the emotional quality of the music, no matter how hard they try. It’s a trio comprised of Vladislav Delay, the experimental Finish producer with a penchant for house, German vocalist Antye Greie, also known as AGF, one half of Laub who’s solo albums have attempted to push the spoken word in new heavily manipulated directions and Scottish composer and pianist Craig Armstrong, who has previously worked on both the Ray and Moulin Rouge soundtracks. At times Armstrong simply accompanies Greie’s gorgeous vocals whilst Delay rattles cages, clunks and hits at beats in the background, whilst during others the warm beat takes front and centre and Armstrong provides only the odd flourish. There are links to the Dani Siciliano and Mathew Herbert relationship Around the House, though The Dolls feel less constrained by the need to dance and more willing to drop everything away into gorgeous moments of evocative stillness.