A concept album tackling emotional abuse using the conceit of terminal illness, The Antlers’ last album Hospice might not have been quite the feel good hit of 2009 but it still bagged a deservedly lofty spot in most critics’ best of the year lists. For its follow-up, the New Yorkers have been experimenting with electronic influences to come up with an album filled with sublime dream-pop soundscapes. And sublime is the operative word: Burst Apart shimmers ethereally with coruscating synths, looping drums and reverb-heavy guitar chimes, whilst Pete Silberman’s glorious falsetto floats above it all, a soothing and bewitching presence. Simply magnificent from beginning to end, it’s a shoo-in for album of the year.