Complete Surrender

This British boy/girl duo continue their excellent journey into making records that split their grooves and bytes into infectious, smart pop and quiet, wry folk. Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor’s voices are but a whisper on tunes like “Everything Is New” and “Paraguay and Panama,“ but both showcase rich, soulful performances when their voices bloom on tunes like the Motown-flavored “Suffering You, Suffering Me” and the Roy Orbison–esque “Not Mine to Love.” The urgent “Complete Surrender” is a potent brew of slinky rhythms, desire-driven strings, and alluring lyrics; it's a very contemporary take on soul music, which warms a great deal of the collection. Taylor’s delivery on the fabulous “Tears of Joy” recalls the smoky folk-pop-soul of ‘60s hits like “Angel of the Morning” and much of Dusty Springfield’s catalog. The sultry “Number One” is as intoxicating as silk on bare skin. Slow Club’s modern makeover of soul is impressive and breathtaking.