Originally hailing from the state of Iowa, Laura Sprengelmeyer has been a long-time staple of the Montreal indie rock scene, a scene that has brought the world–either for its benefit or utter detriment, you decide–The Arcade Fire. Unlike that band, the music Sprengelmeyer releases under her stage name Little Scream is far less bombastic. Although she is a singer-songwriter, Little Scream’s music does not fall into the traditional acoustic traps that such a classification would entail. Noisy, expansive, and propulsive, Little Scream’s music is meticulous in its construction and adventurous in its sound. This attention to detail can be heard in “Cannons,” the second track from her 2011 breakout album The Golden Record.

Here, layers of electronics, electric guitars, cellos, and the airy voice of Sprengelmeyer make a track that is controlled, chaotic, and shimmering with beauty. It’s a track that could have been too much for many artists, but Sprengelmeyer never lets the cacophony overwhelm her; she is clearly in the forefront, the leader of all the madness around her. This is a formidable feat for any artist, especially one on her very first album.

As a result, she’s gotten a considerable amount of positive press for The Golden Record. I didn’t spend enough time with this album when it came out, but in 2012, I’ve found myself listening to it a lot. It’s a beautiful, well-crafted album from an artist who is, genuinely, more interesting than a number of her colleagues from Canada (Stars, I’m staring at you). She’ll be playing at The Mill on the 1st of April, and it won’t be a joke.

You can learn more about her at her website. The video is for “Red Hunting Jacket,” a beautiful, booming track from The Golden Record.

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