Blue

Iamamiwhoami's very name suggests that the project involves continual change and self-discovery, so it's only natural that Jonna Lee and Claes Björklund offer a different twist on their expansive electropop with Blue. Just as Kin was a more cohesive and accessible collection than Bounty, the pair's third collaboration is more streamlined, with an even more pronounced contrast between light and dark. Lee and Björklund touch on the spookier, more mystical side of their music with the standouts "Hunting for Pearls" and "Shadowshow," but most of Blue evokes a cloudless day at the beach. The album's sound is decidedly aquatic, with synths that ripple like water, sparkle like ice, and ebb and flow like tides on the dreamy ballad "Fountain" and "Tap Your Glass," where steel drum-like tones complete its sunny feel. It's a remarkable change from the murky, witchy sounds of Bounty, but this cleaner aesthetic suits iamamiwhoami just as well. Lee and Björklund commit completely to the rapturous sense of wonder that unites songs as disparate as the prickly "Thin" and the meditative euphoria of "Vista," yet the duo also brings subtle depth to this approach. Blue's most kinetic moments are often the most immediately engaging, whether it's the bright melody of "Chasing Kites" or "Ripple," which sends the album into its home stretch with an irresistible beat. Even these tracks share Blue's soothing cast, which may be most striking on poignant songs like "The Last Dancer" and "Blue Blue." In its own way, this album might be Lee and Björklund's most balanced and unified work yet; it's certainly a confident journey into uncharted waters for the duo.