celand has emitted a hubbub of voices recently. Slowblow, who, with this self-titled effort, pokes their head out of the ground for only the third time in ten years, is one of them, recognized most often for its whimsical, sincere, often full-throated gaiety. Of all those voices, which include Sigur Ros, Mum, Jóhann Jóhansson and, of course, Bjork, Slowblow sits most comfortably beside Mum, whose Krist'n Anna Valtysdottir drapes her voice over the body of four of this album's ten songs. But, as one unwraps this charmingly packaged album, a myriad of shapes and sizes spill out like jumbled puzzle pieces: the broader, more developed "very slow bossanova", the abrasive sharp edged "happiness in your face", to frailer, minimalist pieces such as "cardboard box". On the whole, this recording bears a home-made sensibility; spun from dusty out-of-tune pianos, tattered makeshift drums, accordions, banjos and natural sounds such as the creaking of old floorboards and sparking of fireworks.

Unlike most puzzles, certain pieces present shapes and images that don't necessarily always fit together with ease. This work is a labyrinth of tranquil lo-fi ballads with whispered voices, which are often melodious and endearing, but are nevertheless adorned with an array of disparate sounds so that it feels as though a burlap sack of curious instruments was carelessly emptied over these tracks. Specifically near the onset, the album flows from a dense, beat-centered composition, which gives unto the lazy waltz performed by an acoustic guitar and vibraphone on "i know you can smile". Moreover, following a sedate "second hand smoke", where electronics mimic the action of a dripping tap and the scrapping clatter of forks and knives having it out, the coarse dissonance stemming from crude guitars and filtered, distorted vocals wreaks havoc on the album's flow. What's more, particular puzzle pieces are prone to passing by like a wafting summer's breeze: enchanting for a moment, but forgotten soon after.

For all this, Slowblow remains a charismatic puzzle to try and solve. "cardboard box", "dark horse" and " phantom of my organ" are irrefutable highlights. "cardboard box", with its simple nursery-rhythm piano melody, hushed vocal duet between Krist'n and Orri, and subtle feet-on-stairs solo evokes a lovely late night atmosphere. "dark horse" continues on this fine note by means of dynamic acoustic guitar cresting with a marching drum pattern tattooing the piece. Here, Orri's voice is filtered as it shifts form, at once practicing scales, trills, arpeggios, long-drawn out notes that seem to hover in the air and others which spill out helter-skelter like drops from a waterfall. Saturated by a crackling of vinyl, "phantom of my organ" conjures up a timbre that harkens back to the 50s; its tinkling glockenspiel and weepy violin together with the sad tale of its protagonist knit a snug quilt for romantic nights. Given all the quarrels one may pick with this puzzle, admirers of all items lo-fi or simply people in search of something personal will want to pour these eccentric puzzle pieces over their table sometime soon.