Critical darlings more than live up to hype.

For the ever-swelling legions of file-sharing music fans, the debate rages on between waiting for an album’s physical release and downloading low-quality leaked versions months in advance. A stunner like Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest should put this argument to rest, as its dreamily atmospheric production practically gets down on both knees and begs to be heard through expensive speakers or headphones.

Early reviews of Veckatimest have likened Grizzly Bear’s current sound to Fleet Foxes or Calgary’s Feist, with their shared sensibilities of backwards-peering folk, wide-eyed wistfulness and across-the-board accessibility. However, a more accurate reference point would probably be Sweden’s psych-pop masterminds Dungen, as this album is as detailed and meticulously crafted as it is easy to enjoy as ambience.

Opener “Southern Point” is as good a place as any to start, with its simple acoustic strums accented by galloping drums, angelic harmonies, subtle strings and, in its final two minutes, backwards looping percussion. Indeed, throughout all 12 of these tracks, Grizzly Bear have made it easier than ever to pick out the specific elements of their songcraft, with the orchestral arrangements of avant-garde composer Nico Muhly, chiming voices of the Brooklyn Youth Choir and the kit work of Christopher Bear especially pushed to the forefront. The happy result is their most immediate collection of songs to date, growing on the listener like a fungus with each spin.

“Two Weeks” is another standout, with its stabbing piano that strangely resembles Dr. Dre’s G-funk sound. “Cheerleader,” “I Live With You” and the emotional closer “Foreground” all float along on otherworldly melodies. The crown jewel is “While You Wait for the Others,” which Grizzly Bear performed at last year’s Sled Island Festival, and have included in their live repertoire for even longer. However, whether its standout status is due to it being the most familiar song here, having been available on the Internet before the album’s release, is a question that could only exist in the 2000s.

JESSE LOCKE