Compared to the duo that made their debut back in 2007, the of 2009's sound just a touch gentler, more meditative, and smoothed out around the edges. Their sophomore full-length is full of sleek string arrangements (especially on ) and graced with a heavy handful of computerized drumbeats and reverb effects; in other words, it's just as stark and strange as the duo's debut, only more elegantly dressed. also sound quite a bit like on this release -- something that can be chalked up to a combination of gritty synthesizers, oily drum machines, and lead singer 's hungry croon. As on the duo's first release, is the main attraction here. She sounds haunted. She sounds like with a Gatling-gun vibrato. What's more, her voice is the perfect complement to 's theatrical, darkly glimmering compositions. This is especially apparent when , the other half of , sings with on ; his voice sounds awkwardly normal in juxtaposition to 's caterwaul. (To be fair, and probably sensed this; is the only track that features ' vocals.) What makes an intriguing project is how devilishly, drippingly weird they are, and they spend most of their time on playing it up. From slinky-sinister numbers like to single-worthy rockers like shows that haven't lost any momentum since the release of their self-titled debut. ~ Margaret Reges