Le Loup began as the bedroom project of Sam Simkoff and debut album (deep breath) The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly certainly has that feel; it’s an intimate, somewhat experimental and at times underdeveloped album. But a damn fine one nonetheless.  For the follow up, though, Simkoff extended the band to a five piece, holed them up in a Maryland basement and a remote North Carolina cabin and from that, quite naturally, given their cramped and isolated confines, Family emerged.

Simkoff, quite refreshingly, isn’t afraid to cite current bands and sounds as influences and Family captures the moment perfectly – think Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver remixed by Animal Collective and Here We Go Magic. Banjos, mandolins and pastoral harmonies rub up against sloppy rhythms and the kind of bass lines that wouldn’t have been embarrassed in late-eighties Manchester.

Sounding both rustic yet psychedelic, introverted yet celebratory, instantly gratifying yet revealing itself slowly over repeated listening (and you will want to listen to it repeatedly) this is an album of contradictions. Oficially released in late 2009, those contradictions may have to be compounded by including it in this year’s ‘best of’ list.

Visit Le Loup here.