This release is a merging of two unique song-writers, Thao of Thao with the Get Down Stay Dow’ joins forces with solo artist Mirah. This alone would be enough to grab our attention, but when we heard that Merill Garbus of Tune-Yards would be co-producing we knew this was a record we needed. These uncannily inventive women reap the very best from the art of collaboration to create a new sound.

The first track, ‘Eleven’, was co-written by and features Merill, who brings in her own joyous bang-crash vibrancy – it sounds just huge, with anthemic synths and a choir of raucous harmonies being driven by carefully crafted rhythm orchestra.

The real love we have for this album comes from its personality; there is so much life present, every song is buzzing with it. A large portion of the album is made up of acoustic instruments: horns, finger picked guitars and vocal harmonies all helping the record to breathe. The arrangement of the tracks takes nothing for granted. Percussion is handled in a startlingly imaginative way, with mouth noises, clapping, bashing and tapping making each track sound unique and home-made.

With Thao & Mirah you fly through a spectrum of human emotions. Like the two sides of a single mind, this album is loving and pure one minute and downright crude the next. The blend of the two voices and styles is stunning, Mirah’s sweet warmth (see the delicate ‘Little Cup’) contrasts with Thao’s lazy, earthier tones (check out the provocative ‘Squareneck’) to create something with range and depth. This is a record with a soul – listening to each little story on the album, it is clear that these artists write from their hearts. MC