Damon & Naomi - The Sub Pop Years

Following the demise of Galaxie 500, Damon (Krukowski) & Naomi (Yang) stuck together, lowered the volume and continued in a similarly dreamy mould. Specialising in serenely soporific lullabies, the only challenge to the tranquil calm they create is likely to be listeners’ attempts to muffle their heartbeats lest they drown out the subdued somnambulism. The Sub Pop Years draws from each of their albums with the label, from The Wonderful World Of and Playback Singers through their work with Japanese psychedelics Ghost and on to their San Sebastian live release (represented here by a sugar-sweet rendition of New York City amongst others). Their collaborations with Ghost are strongest – Judah and the Maccabees is teary perfection, while the oneiric Great Wall is eight drifting minutes that feels like two – and while their minimalism won’t appeal to everyone, this is an excellent introduction to the duo’s hushed charms.