The music Taja Cheek makes as L'Rain is surreal and hypnotic. On the third L'Rain album, I Killed Your Dog, Cheek builds on the ethereal Fatigue by showcasing different aspects of her artistry. The title track is a beguiling, unconventional break-up tune. Cheek's warped vocals sing a slow, alluring melody with a sinister edge as the instrumentation progresses towards a mesmerizing, immersive finish. "Our Funeral," is another tune that evolves in fascinating ways as Cheek twists an ominous mantra into a deceptively addicting song over beautiful keys and sax. She channels the energy of her live show in the driving, spacey pulse of "Uncertainty Principle," which impressively crashes out with aggressive improvisation. I Killed Your Dog is a short album that is packed with a diverse range of fascinating songs. The dreamy folk of "5 to 8 Hours a Day (WWwaG)," the psychedelic rock of "Pet Rock," and the bubbly, house-infused bounce of "New Year's UnResolution" all exist and succeed on an album that never sounds anywhere near disjointed. Fatigue is a great album, but I Killed Your Dog may be the best L'Rain album. Cheek's songwriting has become catchier, and her forward-thinking, untethered-to-genre approach is better than ever.
