Maria Taylor: 11:11

Introducing Endless Mode: A New Games & Anime Site from Paste
Those who avoided Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink's solo albums this year due to a lack of interest in their recent work as Azure Ray are missing out on some fine slices of moody, engaging pop. It's unclear what that says about the women's collaborative abilities these days (their recorded history together dates back to the '90s with power-pop outfit Little Red Rocket), but one thing's for sure: Taylor and Fink sound inspired and energized, and they're clearly enjoying the freedom to move in whatever direction they please. Though Fink's Invisible Ones is bolder and more experimental, Taylor's 11:11 is the prettier of the two—and aching beauty is what they've always done best.