Kaleida - Odyssey (2020) [Hi-Res]

Not even an ocean could stop Christina Wood and Cicely Goulder from coming together once again as Kaleida; crafters of elegant, intricate electronica and masters of mood.

After the release of 2017's acclaimed, icy debut Tear The Roots which Clash branded "fascinating" as well as support slots with everyone from Alt-J to Roisin Murphy, the duo's German/American vocalist Christina returned to the US after 13 years in the UK, while her musical partner and producer Cicely remained in London. Most acts might not have been able to stand such a separation and called it quits then and there. But Kaleida aren't most acts. Across the Atlantic the pair pulled together the triumphant, hopeful Odyssey.

Despite the distance between them, Odyssey is a far more human and connected album than its predecessor. "The first album was us trying to make sense of stuff and I don't think either of us were in a very good place. It was hard," explains Cicely. "But not living in the same country made us think we had nothing to lose." A graceful display of collaboration against the odds, the fact that its creators were separated by thousands of miles meant in many ways the pressure to complete their difficult second album was off.