Ever lose track of an idea or object, and instead of panic, let your worry drop away? Only to find, moments later, the lapse in your memory retraces its own steps and you've found the key. Moving through retrograde is tough--the resistance to re-edit or re-do a work of art we thought perfect is daunting, but that letting go places a fresh coat of paint on the piece in dire need. 

This pruning and clipping regains health, perspective. Unknown Mortal Orchestra's new EP, Blue Record, is a fifteen minute, all-acoustic rebirth of three of their previous songs and two covers. Ruban Nielson, the singer, songwriter, and guitarist spoke briefly with Stereogum about his initial resistance to the acoustic sound, much preferring an amplified, dubbed guitar, a sound Unknown Mortal Orchestra is known for. Well, it's great that he gave it a whirl, because this new batch of songs are mesmerizing. With acoustics it's easier to hear the idea singled out, the words bold and crisp. The raw, feverish passion breaks through in his voice on tracks like "So Good At Being In Trouble" and "Swim + Sleep (Like A Shark)."

The three remaining tracks on the EP are "Faded In The Morning," "Swing Lo Magellan," an original Dirty Projectors tune, and "Puttin' It Down," an original Jeff Beck number. The vocals on "Faded In The Morning" are like velvet, folding in on each other, soft against soft. In fact, the voice is what's really emphasized to me on the two covers as well. "Puttin' It Down" almost seems like they used a voice-changer to reach that low, deep timbre. The pace and volume quicken as fast as they settle down. Their cover of "Swing Lo Magellan" is a more pensive rhythm than the original with an airy voice. 

Blue Record is definitely a tease when it comes down to it. Excited to see what's next for Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and hoping that it's along these similar frets. Stream the album here, or pick up a vinyl or digital download on their website here.

Grade: A-