Angus & Julia Stone

Sibling folkies Angus and Julia Stone have found a fresh and original way of combining the advantages of musical intimacy with those of widescreen grandeur. Their songs tend to begin in a small place but have a way of expanding outwards towards the far reaches of the universe — it would come as no surprise to find out that the unearthly couple actually dwells in a cosmic forest somewhere off the shoulder of Orion. The sister half of the family act from Sydney's Northern Beaches has a child-like way of wrapping her voice around words, finding syllables where none normally exist, and there's a sense of easy balance in the vocal counterpoints returned by her brother. Debut EP Chocolates & Cigarettes (2006) was followed by a trip to London where, under the patronage of Fran Healy from Travis (who let them use his vintage instruments and home recording space), the pair developed material for their first album, A Book Like This (2007). Highlights so far include gentle protest song "The Beast" and mesmerizing 2009 single "And the Boys."