When James Mercer of the Shins got together with Brian Burton AKA Danger Mouse, the result became more than the sum of its parts. Naming their collaboration Broken Bells, they started in 2004, but their first single “The High Road” wasn’t released until 2009.

An album had to follow, so in 2010 Broken Bells was released to great critical and popular acclaim. The duo avoided sounding too much like their own individual styles: Danger Mouse laid off the samples, playing drums, organs and keys himself. Mercer stretched his vocal cords into falsetto range, at times. Their creative energies gel like no other contemporary collaboration. This addictive record is built to last.

Broken Bells is available on audiophile black vinyl.