Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens. The name rings a bell. (Literally in some songs). The once-most-prolific-man-in-pitchfork has since ceded the accolade to Spencer Krug, and, having only released The BQE since Illinois in 2005 (The Avalanche doesn't count), his well-earned break caused a slow and gradual slip from our radars.

Well - the unexpected annoucement of All Delighted People took everyone by surprise - keeping a 60-minute, 8-song EP under wraps is no mean feat - and a pleasant one it is at that. Sufjan is in keeping with previous alternate "versions" (albeit misleadingly or inappropriately named ones at that), with two iterations of the title song here. It's familiar Sufjan territory but does sound like a progression from 2005; also in the stripping down on his songs, with horns and brass less prominent here.

You can stream and download ($5 - about £3.60) the EP at Sufjan's Bandcamp Page.