Fabulous Muscles

At once dark, complex, impossibly honest, and yet, somehow simple, "Fabulous Muscles" is almost accessible in its minimalist-pop appeal. This record was written on the heels of huge upheavals and violent personal changes, so there's less of a dance influence and much more of a pop and academic/experimental feel. Sounds are used to rhythmically push some songs forward in a top-40 way, but with fewer straight beats. Noise restrictions also led to more use of single, quiet acoustic instruments. This record is the most pop Xiu Xiu record, and the most experimental. An important record.