“We get sent quite a few records in the mail these days. Some of them are good, a lot of them are just ok, and sometimes, as is the case here, they are downright astounding. The “Glass” EP from New Zealand duo Glass Vaults shows more promise than almost any other debut you’ll hear this year.” OMG Vinyl“Glass” will be most easily remembered as a continuous piece; from the cavernous echoic awakening of “They Will Grow”, into the expansive reach of “Set Sail”, Glass Vaults weave a remarkable debut that plays like the seamless passage of a suite. In this space, each part sounds like an introduction to the next, one layer revealed at each turn. Momentum is propelled by the simple suggestion of rhythm; meter carried by melody, synths mingling with a languid vocal lead that evokes Thom Yorke. The balanced spacing of elements carry one another with more focus and maturity than expected from such a new group. Only on “Worrier” does the New Zealand duo reckon with more strain between its elements: terrestrial bass and ominous undertones interact tautly with the hopeful tune. In the centerpiece of “New Space”, Glass Vaults cast further out from ambient landmarks like Sigur Ros, and meddle in more distant soundscape. The closing passage “Forget Me Not” distills the ebullient vocals and propulsive cadence that typify this young project. Glass Vaults deliver a fully realized EP buoyed by the peerless semblance of potential; rare that music can at once sound so wistful, but look forward with such promise. Likewise, this is the first release on the JUKBOXR label, in a numbered edition of two-tone colored vinyl.