When Neil Halstead left the heady shoegaze swirls of Slowdive, he first set up camp as a British Americana artist with Mojave 3 and then as an unsettlingly intense singer/songwriter with a solo career that drew comparisons to Nick Drake for his low-key, smoky vocal delivery and somber arrangements. Each solo album has altered things ever so slightly, adding instrumentation and altering gaits. With 2012's Palindrome Hunches, Halstead again strips the sound down to the studs. Violins occasionally color his world, as "Love Is a Beast" brings together a mesmerizing weave, but the focus is mostly on pianos, acoustic guitars, and Halstead's unhurried delivery. "Digging Shelters" is as simply beautiful as a sunset, with a guitar fingerpicked to perfection. "Full Moon Rising" chases the same beautiful melancholia of Mark Kozelek at his finest. "Sandy" adds an extra harmony to complement the violin's weepy melody. By the time you reach the modest bounce of "Hey Daydreamer," you've likely forgotten that Halstead has another gear. Beautiful throughout.