Long-distance musical duo E1sbar (pronounced "ice bear") is comprised of North Virginia-based musician and engineer Francisco Cueto of the All Good Funk Alliance, alongside Toronto-based vocalist Piper Davis. Although they break one of the cardinal rules of rockdom with a name that tinkers with replacing letters with numbers in a borderline-incomprehensible way, they make up for it with a sexy electro vibe that fits right in alongside artists like Air, Zero 7 and Little Dragon. Their sophomore album (or mini-album, if you want to be precise), further solidifies their style and their mastery of it. Tracks like "Snake Angel" suggest vistas of sound, while "Visions" pulls things in more intimately, with echoes of a Stevie Nicks-sung Fleetwood Mac songs. But all the tunes groove in all the right ways, making for an overall vibe that goes down exceptionally well.
-Eric J. Lawrence