* En anglais uniquement
Ethereal pop duo
Snowbird features vocalist
Stephanie Dosen and multi-instrumentalist
Simon Raymonde in his first collaboration since
the Cocteau Twins broke up in 1997. When that legendary dream pop band called it quits,
Raymonde focused on running his
Bella Union label; after helping
Dosen release her second solo album, the surprise U.K. hit
A Lily for the Spectre, in 2007, they began working together a few years later. Their cover of
Pink Floyd's "Goodbye Blue Sky," which appeared on a compilation for MOJO magazine, marked their recording debut. The pair continued working together when
Dosen's visa expired and she returned to the States, with London-based
Raymonde sending her delicate, piano-based instrumentals that she contributed vocals to in North Carolina. The duo fleshed out the songs with the help of
Radiohead's
Ed O'Brien and
Phil Selway, as well as members of
Midlake and
Lanterns on the Lake. The results were released as Moon (which included a bonus remix album, Luna) in January 2014. ~ Heather Phares