Yet another well-crafted and beautiful collection of energized pop-violin virtuosity,
Duality
returns
Lindsey Stirling
back to basics after 2019's epic, chart-topping concept album
Artemis
. Featuring input from
Mako
,
Graham Muron
(
30STM
Skrillex
),
Lucky West
Walk the Moon
), and composer
Steve Mazzaro
, the set features all the magical wonder and theatrical scope that fans have come to expect from
Stirling
, who excels at this form of rousing, emotionally charged instrumental wonder. Plucked strings, handclaps, and a storm of choir singers elevate the sweeping "Eye of the Untold Her," while mystical echoes and
's recognizable war cry punctuate the towering "Evil Twin" as a deep drop injects hip-hop/electronic heft into the mix. Ghosts of Celtic folk and brash electric guitar rip through the majestic "Purpose" and "Untamed," as a steady heartbeat carries "Surrender" to a cathartic close and "Serenity Found" lives up to its name, offering a brief respite. The titular concept is reflected in the track listing, with "The Scarlett Queen" mirroring "Evil Twin" on the start of the second half, which features guests
Royal & the Serpent
(the pulsing jam "Inner Gold") and
Walk off the Earth
's
Sarah Blackwood
(the rousing empowerment anthem "Survive," which interpolates
Gloria Gaynor
's disco standard). Keeping with the idea of healing, "Kintsugi" -- named after the Japanese art of repairing cracked vessels with gold -- nourishes the soul before the bouncy, triumphant closer "La Fees" dances its way into a fearless future.
takes the size of its predecessor and merges it with the emotional heft and introspection of earlier works, resulting in one of the best offerings in her catalog to date. ~ Neil Z. Yeung