The Shadow Ring, Lindus (side A)

When Lindus came out in 2001, it followed the "classic" era of the Shadow Ring, and it was far less musical or accessible than any of those. I dismissed it quickly as a strange conceptual experiment—in retrospect, I was half-right. 2003's I'm Some Songs really is a strange conceptual experiment that clearly marks the group's end. Lindus, in retrospect, was something of a transitional album. It is at times sparse and impenetrable, but at times the old Shadow Ring sound peaks out in bits and pieces. In retrospect, it's not as mind-blowing as the group's earlier works (and probably would not make sense without having heard them for reference), but it's still a weird and fascinating record that remains somehow worth a listen.