It’s hard to know how to divvy up the props for the astounding quality of this year’s Bat for Lashes record. Two Suns marks the second collaboration between chic siren Natasha Khan and producer David Kosten. The disparity between Two Suns and Khan’s acclaimed debut Fur and Gold is pretty hard to ignore—while both rely heavily on the strength of Khan’s writing (and heavenly voice), Two Suns is much more beat-driven; less baroque pop, and more dancefloor exorcism. "Daniel," Two Suns’ hit single, has garnered countless Kate Bush comparisons. Rightly so.

More after the jump.

What’s great about Two Suns is how audible Kosten’s influence is. As the IDM musician Faultline, Kosten’s released two albums of well-crafted electronic music, often in collaboration with high-profile vocalists (Michael Stipe, Chris Martin). Here's his "Biting Tongues" feat. Ras B:

While he deserves credit for the lush sound on Fur and Gold—which thrust Khan into the upper atmosphere of indie critical circles—it’s the thumping, dubby gnarls and squeeks of Two Suns’ percussion that really make him worthy of your kudos. Propellant jams like opener “Glass” and “Two Planets” have Kosten’s fingerprints all over them.

Khan shouldn’t be discredited, though. It’s a testament to her musical instincts that rather than culling inspiration from her dinners with Radiohead and A-list reception, she immersed herself in the New York music scene and started drinking from the same well of sonic stimulation that groups like Gang Gang Dance and Yeasayer thrive on.

Hence we get one of ‘09’s strongest records—densely packed with pounding tribal drums, handclaps, distinctly UK-flavored glitches and warbles, heavy doses of reverb and delay effects, and all of the evocative elements that Khan has made her signature. Two Suns is also pretty thematically far-out: it’s a concept record about Khan and her callow blonde doppelganger “Pearl”. This couldn’t have Kosten’s idea; bless Khan for being so weird.

You have to hope Kosten and Khan keep working together. Two Suns is about as good as sophomore records come, and is also indicative of the great music that emerges when a genuinely talented solo artist works closely with an expert (and adventurous) producer.