As the solo guise of Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, the obvious expectation is for Atlas Sound to melt ears and rip up the pop rulebooks in favour of experimentation and fuzz. Cox had bigger surprises in store for Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, though.

The first clue that Cox was moving in another direction came as a cover of Grizzly Bear’s “Knife” on that group’s brilliant Friend EP collection of outtakes, remixes, alternates and covers. While the sounds and disjointed beat were interesting, Atlas Sound’s version of “Knife” seemed irrelevant next to the original. Thankfully, as a project, Atlas Sound doesn’t suffer the same fate in Deerhunter’s growing shadow.

A collection of simple, gentle headphone pop tunes, Let the Blind corrals Cox’s talent for havoc into gorgeous nighttime melodies. Using voice as an instrument just as much as a song foundation, Cox proves his dedication to explorations in his nouveau pseudonym.

It doesn’t get much prettier than the titular closing instrumental, free of drums and vocals. Harnessed sunbursts of tone build to a crescendo that, in just under four minutes, is far more interesting, pretty and moving than the Fuck Buttons’ entire hype-machine of an album. Despite his occasional lapses, Cox under any name is certainly a master of sound to be reckoned with.