Weyes Blood, “In the Darkness, Hearts Aglow.” Natalie Mering is in a lane all in her own. No one else is turning out the kind of transcendent chamber pop that Mering does, recording as Weyes Blood. Her high, pure voice calls to mind ’70s icons like Joni Mitchell, Karen Carpenter…

Formed by Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek from the ashes of the Smith Westerns, Whitney’s lineup and sound has since vastly expanded. String and horn accompaniment elevated the Chicago band’s 2016 debut, Light Upon the Lake, but a subsequent demo collection spotlighted the songs’ organic core. Ehrlich and Kakacek strengthened…