There are Lords of the Rings fans who know Emiliana Torrini better than most – she performed Gollum's Song for the Two Towers segment of the epic movie trilogy. And yet Torrini deserves more than fanboy/girl love – she's one of Iceland's best-kept secrets, and Tookah, arriving five years after Me and Armini, sees a newfound awareness brought on, in part, by motherhood. One track in particular seems pivotal to the album's success: Home is about returning to Iceland from the UK (where Torrini has been based for several years) and discovering a virtually dreamlike state of warmth and emotion that mirrored her own feelings toward her son. Other sonic elements drift in and out of what is a rather beautiful collection: Erik Satie's piano figurines, Debussy's tonal brush strokes, and a kind of unsettling-in-a-good-way gathering of lush (if typically Icelandic) odd pop music. emilianatorrini.com
Download: Caterpillar, Home, Speed of Dark