The best of No Wave Gaze, the brand new album that just dropped from Jason Vitelli at the end of last month, is somnambulating, with a smoothness to rouse one from bed or, on the contrary, induce a magical, enchanted form of sleep.

There are few other artists that can produce such an effect. Examples readily include “Standing at Your Doorstep”, “Alas”, and “A Piece of a Sing Along.” This is mood music, in which the artist and producer establishes a tone, varies from it with impunity, and gives listeners plenty to feel (if not think about) in the meantime.

That these numbers are able to accomplish such things with Vitelli’s decidedly desultory approach speaks volumes about them. One is likely to hear a little of everything on this album, often in samples, snatches of sounds, and bites of trains coming, clocks ticking, people talking in foreign languages, and everything else that can be found.

But back to “Doorstep”, which this reviewer almost certainly believes is a nod to the piano perfection of John Lennon’s “Imagine”. The track starts off with that reflective, piquant piano-playing before dropping, every so smoothly, the bass and drums to instantly modernize the tune and captivate listeners. The drum track is classy, with a beating closed high hat and a surfeit of poppy-sounding synths that do little to damper its overall appeal.

“Alas” is able to stand up and stand out from the rest of the tracks on this collection with its vivacious percussion, electric guitar sample, and emotive keyboard chords that surely speak words in their phrasing and playing. The only problem with the tune is it doesn’t last long enough. At one point everything drops out, only for the artist to bring things back with a different rhythm section and what sounds like the same sounds playing different notes. It makes little difference as the ending still matches the panache of how the song opens.

With such potential displayed early and in more than one place on the album, you’re all but begging Vitelli to throw at least one more such cut on before all’s over. Fortunately, he does with “A Piece of a Sing Along”. With an electric guitar that’s far from rock, expressive singing and some creative drumming he brings it all together, leaving in as good a stead as that in which he came.