While it must have been tempting to overreach or bring in a crowd of collaborators after the massive success of W H O K I L L, Merrill Garbus instead took her time crafting a sequel that boils down her sound to its purest form. That purity shines through the knottiest, most percussion-heavy music Nate Brenner and Garbus have crafted yet, but really this entire thing is carried by Garbus as performer. Her vocal range has widened to include the tenderest coos and the wildest squawks, her lyrics have grown to share insecurities and hilarious punchlines, even squeezing in a creepy/funny bedtime story. tUnE-yArDs always had detractors, but Garbus isn’t trying to compromise or win them over on Nikki Nack, and it’s freeing and inspiring. –Miles [LISTEN]