It’s been three years since Local Natives released their acclaimed debut album, Gorilla Manor, and in that time, the indie rock quartet honed in on their sound. As a result, the Los Angeles-based outfit’s sophomore effort, Hummingbird, comprises a collection of matured, complex tracks.

Upon first listen, Hummingbird may be a little underwhelming for fans that fell in love with Local Natives for the upbeat, afro-pop influenced sing-along tunes that made up their first album. This effort is a large contrast, scrapping those carefree songs for deep, layered pieces. The opening track, “You & I,” begins with a hazy, surf rock-tinged instrumental intro before keyboardist/percussionist/vocalist Kelcey Ayer’s vocals come in. The song possesses glimpses of afro-beat in the percussion and features a funky breakdown during the chorus, but it is more focused on the instrumentation and arrangement than its catchiness. It’s a beautiful song, but it’s a bit of a departure from the band’s older material.

The album continues along this path as percussion and vocal harmonies drive “Heavy Feet,” and twinkling guitar and ethereal music composition move “Ceilings.” It’s not until the record’s first single, “Breakers,” that Local Natives reveal a hint of the pop sensibility that helped them garner so much buzz three years ago. Guitarist/Vocalist Taylor Rice takes vocal reins as catchy “ooh ooh’s” infiltrate the chorus and upbeat guitar riffs push the song along. This happens again on the warbling “Wooly Mammoth.” Though a darker track, that pedal-affected guitar riff is bound to seep into your brain and settle there for days to come. But the record’s highlights are not in the poppy, upbeat songs. They shine during songs like “Mt Washington,” when Rice sings atop a strumming acoustic guitar and sparkling, sparse piano plucks, or the album closer, “Bowery,” where Ayer and Rice share vocal duties and create chilling harmonies as fuzzy guitars shake behind them before consuming their voices so all that’s left is instrumentation and the band chanting “ooh ooh” before fading out.

Hummingbird is an album that may take some time to grow on you, but when it does it will send chills down your spine. So when Ayer painfully sings, “Every night I ask myself, ‘Am I giving enough?’” in the swelling “Colombia,” you can assure him, and the rest of the band, that yes, you are.

Like us on Facebook at BestNewBands.com and KatrinaNattress and follow us on Twitter at @BestNewBandscom and @KatrinaNattress