Karma - Latenight Daydreaming (2006)

As one might expect from the album title, Karma's Late Night Daydreaming is a mellow, after-midnight blend of pretty, atmospheric piano-based instrumentals and downtempo R&B tunes. Unlike Karma's earlier albums, which were purely groove-oriented electronica, this effort finds the German production duo in a '60s easy listening pop and soundtrack music mood far more akin to the High Llamas ("Home" and "Beach Towel" in particular have the Sean O'Hagan vibe down cold, up to and including the subtle use of vibes) and Good Humor-vintage Saint Etienne. Recorded with more "real" instruments than keyboards, including strings and horns, the songs are uniformly lovely and richly textured. The only real flaw is that the three singers on the project, particularly Michelle Amador, have generic smooth soul voices with no real personality, which blunts the impact of the vocal tracks. Put a singer with the range of Tracey Thorn or Sarah Cracknell on Late Night Daydreaming and this album would truly be something special; as it is, it's merely much better than average.