Atlas Sound – Logos (2009) [Kranky] // Grade: A

The gangly-limbed, girlish-voiced Bradford James Cox is quickly proving himself to be one of the most significant voices currently working in the realm of indie music. Cox grabbed the public’s interest as the frontman for Deerhunter, but its his solo work, and side projects, that illustrate his depth of talent and creative prowess.

As Atlas Sound, Cox creates the aural experience of a full band on his own. Following up the experimental playground that was last year’s Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel, Atlas Sound’s sophomore effort, Logos, is a dense journey of looped soundscapes, emotional ache and playful upturns. Cox is an expert as a one man band, and Logos features a vast array of instrumentation that seamlessly drifts in ambient splendor.

It’s easy to latch onto Logos because it’s an album that is, at its most basic level, a reflection of the human condition. Full of intense longing, “An Orchid” and “My Halo” are both deeply personal contributions. Just as sincerely as Cox expresses sadness, he is a beacon of hopeful spirit and warmth. “Sheila” is lyrically heart-wrenching, but compositionally optimistic, a rare song that at once makes you sigh and smile.

It’s unusual that I find cameo tracks an album’s strongest selections, but “Walkabout”, featuring Noah Lennox of Animal Collective and “Quick Canal”, featuring Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab are playful standouts that allow Cox to work his understated magic. Replicating the stylistic tendencies of Lennox and Sadier’s respective projects, Cox crafts their cameos into respectful thank yous for their influence upon his own body of work.

Logos is the album that Bradford James Cox has, perhaps unknowingly, been working up to for years. He puts his insecurities on the table and shares his hopes and dreams, creating an a work that is musically solid, but more importantly, truthfully representative of the pitfalls and pleasures of the human condition.