Listen: Yumi Zouma's "Sage"

Yumi Zouma's Truth or Consequences is not a novel reinvention of the band, it's rather a record that's as sweet, cozy, and melodically engaging as it's made for those quiet moments of rumination, restraint and calm. They may not have the most original sound in the business — The Radio Dept. says hello! — but it's a slice of peaceful, delicately arranged dream-pop that's by turns blissed-out and inviting, even as they manage to build and sustain their signature wistful mood over the course of 40-something minutes. The consistent laid-back groove, complemented by echoey synths and whispery vocals from Christie Simpson, remains a highlight in their third full-length, brimming with gently danceable mid-tempo electro ballads (My Palms Are Your Reference to Hold to Your Heart) and pulsing tender melodies (Sage). It could be construed as a sign of playing too safe, yes, but songs like Mirror to the Fire and Magazine Bay show that they can break out of their reserved aesthetic and still do well. It simply hits all the right notes.