Sylvan Esso: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

It's hard to believe that it hasn't quite been a year since the first Sylvan Esso album came out. The odd yet perfect marriage of Nick Sanborn's electronics with Amelia Meath's voice feels like a familiar friend by now. And yet seeing these songs performed softly — and captured in the light of day — made them feel fresh and lovable in new ways.

To keep things fresh and interesting, Sanborn brought a bunch of new gear to the Tiny Desk; it seemed a bit bewildering to him for a bit, but also inspiring. I think that's what makes this combination work so well: Meath and Sanborn inspire one another. You can see it in their eyes and in their smiles, and it comes out in their playing and dancing. It's enchanting music, performed wonderfully.

-- BOB BOILEN