If by Yes + Kaiser Cartel

Taking its name from an E.E. Cummings poem, If by Yes features Yuka Honda on keys and samplers and Petra Haden on vocals. Honda was one of the two principals of the late Cibo Matto, which sang about food over bossa nova–inflected pop; If by Yes is a far more laptop-friendly project, though a slinky one nonetheless. Brooklyn boy-girl duo Kaiser Cartel plays pleasingly moody pop songs in support.