Autosmile [CD]

Songwriters Victoria Rose and Stone Filipczak are the creative force behind @, a singular duo whose inventive collaboration has reimagined psychedelic folk for a new generation. On Autosmile, their first album for 4AD, the pair expand on the acclaimed promise of their debut Mind Palace Music, blending timeless songwriting with adventurous arrangements, dense harmonies, and a playful spirit that constantly pushes beyond genre boundaries.Though now based in Philadelphia, Victoria and Stone continue their distinctive songwriting process: working independently before completing each other's compositions. Recorded largely at home with a humble collection of equipment and enriched by contributions from close friends on cello, violin, and drums, Autosmile transforms lo-fi methods into something remarkably lush, immersive, and emotionally resonant.Across eleven songs, @ balance darkness and wonder with striking confidence. The album moves effortlessly between haunting folk textures, progressive flourishes, indie-pop hooks, and moments of cinematic beauty. Highlights include the expansive title track "Autosmile," the nostalgic earworm "I Know You Are (But What Am I Thinking)," and the intricately arranged "Punish My Mind," each exploring themes of change, self-reflection, loss, and acceptance through lyrics that remain deliberately open-ended and deeply relatable.Equal parts mysterious, virtuosic, and playful, Autosmile showcases @ at their most fully realized-an adventurous partnership capable of looking backward and forward at once. It is an album of contrasts: beauty and pain, humor and gravity, intimacy and ambition. In the face of uncertainty, @ offer curiosity, connection, and the possibility of transformation.