Arc Iris have developed a sound that certainly amounts to more than the sum of the group’s parts, a fact that borders on the precipice of irony since they initially formed as an seven-person outfit and have since morphed into a tight trio. But even while the band’s members have diminished, the music they create has expanded. Nowhere is this fact more evident than in the opening track to their most recent album, Icon of Ego . “$GNMS” is an inspired reimagining of an old Arc Iris tune, “Money Gnomes,” a rollicking, banjo-fueled shuffle that kicked off their 2014 self-titled debut and shows how far the group has come, stylistically, in just a few years. The new version is all synths, stacked vocals and splashy drums, combining chunky keyboard basslines with soaring riffs and the ever-engaging vocals of lead singer Jocie Adams, formerly of The Low Anthem. The trio—which, along with Adams, features keyboardist Zach TenorioMiller and drummer Ray Belli— delivers a powerhouse performance on Icon of Ego , deftly mixing textures as Tenorio-Miller and Adams take turns bending various synth sounds to their will. The exploratory nature of the record isn’t surprising given their other studio output of 2018—a total and complete reimagining of Joni Mitchell’s Blue called Foggy Lullaby —and Icon of Ego highlights Arc Iris’ continued growth as artists with an array of techniques. The band employs cinematic strings in “Turn It  Up” before offering more theatrics and expansive guitars on the title track, while Adams’ voice on album-closer “Suzy” stretches from lilting, airy harmonies to frenetic, near-screaming immediacy.