Dreams Come True

While it can sometimes be hard to separate established artists' other projects from their main gigs, Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor demonstrates an ability to distance himself from his other work on the debut of his CANT moniker, Dreams Come True. With an aesthetic rooted in stripped-down electronic pop, the album keeps Taylor's penchant for deeply layered music intact while stripping away the preciousness, creating a sound that is simultaneously soothing and visceral. The stripped-down, lo-fi sound of songs like "Rises Silent" and "Too Late, Too Far" have a rawness about them that evokes, among other things, the skittering electro-funk of some of Prince's early pop experiments. What's really special here, though, is that Taylor is always able to keep things from getting abrasive, allowing the album to swirl around listeners without pushing them away. This focus on approachability over impenetrability makes Dreams Come True not only a welcoming debut, but a fantastic entry point into the more experimental side of electronic music. ~ Gregory Heaney