A curiosity shop of romantic vocals and exotic rhythms

Vampire Weekend fans were devastated when Rostam Batmanglij quit to pursue fresh opportunities in 2016. This curiosity shop of a debut album justifies his liberation. The three Vampire Weekend albums he helmed are hardly predictable fare, but here Batmanglij’s invention is left entirely unchecked, and it’s glorious. The gorgeous title track moves like a dream—a lovelorn appeal that gives way to a chugging Beatles rhythm section before Wet’s Kelly Zutrau offers a haunting final reply. This warmth embraces each track. “Bike Dream”’s art rock radiates a boyish charm, while “Wood”—a forgotten treasure that first appeared online in 2011—fuses wild Eastern percussion with the first flushes of love.