Noise folk outfit Gowns broke up last year, but founding member EMA (Erika M. Anderson) is back already with a solo project that beats her band. Her debut album Past Life Martyred Saints has the exhilarating sound of a powerful voice emerging fully. It’s original enough to be indie music’s future, but it’s deeply rooted in the esoteric traditions of the underground’s past and present. EMA doesn’t fear a sweet melody or a smooth sheath of electronic gloss, but she never met a blast of  guitar feedback she didn’t love.