The Ridge

Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld forgoes her more esoteric leanings for this accessible yet still edgy amalgam of classical, jazz, and pop. While her strings and sonically manipulated instrumentation are front and center, the eerie vocals and rhythmic flourishes distinguish plucky, ambient songs like “The Glow.” The album’s haunting, cinematic textures are bolstered by the tasteful drumming of Arcade Fire bandmate Jeremy Gara, who lets loose on the title track and provides a sturdy foundation for Neufeld to sing over on “We’ve Got a Lot.”