Noa Babayof

Striking work by this Israeli singer-songwriter, possessing a willowy, chilling voice and milky lower register, delicately accented in the style of a femme Nick Drake channeling Nico, that lends a spectral presence to this gorgeously arranged set. Orchestrated by Greg Weeks (Espers), From a Window to a Wall blends a tapestry of acoustic guitars, strings, harmonium and minimal percussion into a style both classical and popular, recalling the glories of early '70s folk productions of Joe Byrd. "Marching Band" showcases Ms. Babayof's innate talents in uniting disparate styles of folk -- here, a rambling, Americanized rhythm guitar bisecting frozen C93-style neo-folk -- while elsewhere, as in "At Your Death," Mr. Weeks' string charts soar and swell behind her breathless choral passages, giving way to the gentler notions of Nick Cave's less-recent murder balladry. Thrilling both instrumentally and in its welcoming, outstretched ambiance, its gentle, mildly unsettling facades chase the sun down with a bewitching drive.