Sacred Bones

Just months after releasing their sophomore album In Love With Oblivion, Brooklyn, N.Y., garage-pop outfit Crystal Stilts delivered a new EP that toys with a mellower, more accessible sound. Stripping away some of the murky lo-fi fuzz, the Radiant Door EP sees singer Brad Hargett’s vocals step out from behind the curtain of reverb further than ever before and keyboardist Kyle Forester’s jangly ‘60s organ tone nears Manzarek levels. Several of the songs carry a Morricone-style Spaghetti Western vibe reminiscent of Spindrift, while the extended “Low Profile” veers toward New Wave territory with its ‘80s synth riff. Overall, it’s a slight departure from the Stilts’ gloomy noise-pop sound, but Radiant Door is perhaps their most impressive collection of songs yet.