One year after the release of their virtuoso debut album “Taller Children,” Brooklyn natives Elizabeth Ziman and Danny Molad have released their sophomore effort titled “The Other Side of Zero.”

The duo, better known as Elizabeth & The Catapult, has released a brilliant new project, which exhibits a sense of maturity and assertiveness that many other independent bands lack.

The band fuses an ideal blend of indie and alternative rock, a well-crafted pop sound and folk soul that would make any child of the 1960s weep with excitement.

Their music blends the sounds of folk-singer Joni Mitchell, contemporary singer/songwriters Martha Wainwright and Fiona Apple and the pop brilliance of Elton John possessed in the 1970s.

In no way is the album a dated body of work or one that tries too hard. On the contrary, it is a creatively delightful pop album woven with sincere and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, which only Ziman knows how to deliver.

From her subtle whispers in tracks like “Open Book” and “The Other Side of Zero” to the raw quality of “Time (We All Fall Down)” and “Go Away My Lover,” the band’s singer and songwriter knows what her voice is capable of.

This is what many albums and artists are missing these days: a lead singer who knows what depths her voice is capable of reaching while still challenging her limits, and a band that not only puts effort into crafting honest music, but also performs it stunningly.

The lead single “You and Me” is an upbeat indie pop gem, which would fit perfectly in anyone’s collection.

Whether you enjoy the raw honesty of a traveled singer/songwriter (“Do Not Hang Your Head”) or the ecstatic intensity that well-crafted folk music can achieve (“Thank You For Nothing”), you will find a place within this band and especially amongst the layers of “The Other Side of Zero.”

This album proves that you don’t always have to be loud in order to have an impact, nor do you have to be quiet in order to look within yourself.