Go Slowly All the Way Round the Outside

Like an American version of U.K. techno-folkies Beth Orton or Turin Brakes, the Denver-based duo Blusom build their music around the appealing mixture of delicate acoustic guitars and subtle, layered electronics. Neither side of the sonic equation overshadows the other on their debut album; on songs like the dreamy opener "On Glass" and the chilling, dirge-like "X-Photo," the interplay by singer/songwriter Mike Behrenhausen and keyboard expert Jme is perfectly balanced. Even when the electronics take center stage, as on the found-sound interlude "Attack of the Toothless Luthiers" and the ghostly, crystalline "Kitelike Blue Paper," the focus remains on Behrenhausen's fragile, wavering vocals and deceptively sharp songwriting skills. Nearly every song features a memorable melody line or chorus hook, which makes Go Slowly All the Way Round the Outside more substantial than many similar releases while maintaining the floaty, diaphanous feel endemic to this style of music.