Jónsi

On his solo debut, Jónsi Birgisson -- Sigur Rós' spectral voice and six-string skyscraper -- embraces a lithe, lush pop his main band is too monolithic to accommodate, and it's revelatory. Though still recalling Sigur, Go moves more quickly, from the flute-happy "Go Do" to the giddy "Animal Arithmetic." (And, yes, many songs are in English, which doesn't dampen the sense of mystery a bit.) It's not unlike Thom Yorke's sideline trip The Eraser: Each retains an inimitable singer's sound but adds oxygen-rich breathing room.

By Josh Modell