9. Woman / Rhye

Woman luxuriously ruminates over the joys and difficulties of intimacy.  A smooth soul album dedicated to marital bliss and romantic connection, Woman displays an appreciation for high-minded togetherness and celebrates the beautiful women in our lives.  Push play.  Embrace.  Make love.

The Canadian/Danish duo of Robin Hannibal and Mike Milosh embellish their stripped-down R&B with mystery.  They do not appear in their videos.  They do not conduct publicity rounds.  Even when they appeared on national television, they flooded the stage with lights and fog to recede into the background of their orchestrations.  Everything is about connecting to the words and feelings.

But one thing is clear: Milosh's rich falsetto is always at the forefront.  His voice is one of the best things about music in 2013.  And his ear for unforced melodies is commendable in an era with little restraint, especially in a genre where crooners are often indulgent and lyricists trade sophistication for sex.  He knows when to soar and when to pull back.  He knows substance over sleaze.  And he sings with a weight that belies his high register, and with a warm sensitivity for the subject matter that never slips into adult-contemporary cheese.

"Open" may be the most romantic song in years--the very sound of earnest, young lovers.  And "The Fall" is not too far behind in its yearning.  Some listeners have compared the record's easy tempos to Sade, and the duo's deft arrangements and elegant horns and strings make some of those similarities apparent.  But Rhye can also move forward with more thrust, as demonstrated in the groovy directness of tracks like "3 Days" and "Hunger."  Although Rhye is not afraid to get you on the dance floor, their expertise is in the flickering firelight of the after-party.  So grab your woman.  And get moving.