Gotye

In the world of buzz bands, no one finished 2011 stronger than Gotye. Fueled by the catchy kiss-off single “Somebody That I Used to Know,” and aided by the indie taste makers at KCRW and NPR, the Belgian-Australian songwriter entered the New Year ready to pounce. This month, Making Mirrors gets its big label rerelease courtesy of Universal, a move that’s certain to bring this neo-adult contemporary name into a few million more households. Better still, Making Mirrors holds up to the high bar set by its infectiously compelling lead single. Minus a few left-field offerings (the Mayer Hawthorne-esque “I Feel Better” and über-poppy “In Your Light” fall pretty flat), the album is a moody and twisted exercise in restraint; “State of the Art” is a slinky vocal-effect experiment, while “Save Me” puts Gotye’s elastic timbre front-and-center alongside a plinking piano line and chanting backing vocal, calling to mind the likes of Peter Gabriel and Chris Isaak simultaneously. Sure, “Somebody” may be the best thing here, but there’s a slew of close contenders that make Mirrors worthy of the hype.