Liminal Soul

Kedr Livanskiy's third album is a slightly more abstract expansion of the eclectic, energetic dance-pop sound of 2019's wonderful Your Need, retaining some of the mystery of her haunting early releases. The self-produced album is heavier on vocals than her past work, and she does more daring, creative things with her voice this time around. Her multitracked birdlike coos are joined by electronic chirps and uptempo polyrhythmic percussion on the tantalizing introduction "Celestial Ether." Songs like "My Invisible" and "Stars Light Up" place urgent, poetic lyrics in Russian at the forefront, while more textural vocals drift in the background, and later on her voice is shaped into glimmering hooks. The bittersweet "Boy" is one of Livanskiy's first full songs in English, and its tripping beats and yearning melodies immediately seem like a flashback to early-'90s alternative dance, yet its production leans a bit closer to IDM. If it had jangly guitar all over it, it would be easy to convince someone that it's actually an obscure indie single from 1992. On the atmospheric, breakbeat-infused "Your Turn" (featuring Flaty, who produced Your Need), Livanskiy dreams about not being herself anymore. The trancey "Teardrop" only lands at a kick drum when the moment is right, halfway through the song, and the beat never arrives during the final two tracks. Both are dusted with tense distortion, and "Storm Dancer" folds acoustic plucks into waves of synth bass and cascading vocals. A bit less club-ready than Livanskiy's other releases, Liminal Soul is a stirring set of late-night reflections. ~ Paul Simpson