Full Circle

Editors’ Notes Hælos are unafraid of epic gestures: The very first vocal on the London trio's debut LP is a chanted three-part harmony that quickly ramps up to a soaring falsetto. That track, “Pray,” sports equally uplifting progressive house breakbeats, while “Earth Not Above” darkly glistens and surges to a trip-hop shuffle and "Separate Lives" throbs atop rainy-day drum 'n' bass skitter. The sonic drama is met by lyrics that splice the xx's romanticism with gospel's uplift, but this record owes its oomph to the power of '90s electronic music reimagined. Full Circle indeed.