Sarah Blasko is a hidden gem — hidden, that is, for us folks here in the U.S. While the Aussie singer/songwriter has been delivering critically acclaimed dark pop to her native country since 2003, when her Prelusive EP was picked up for major distribution, she has garnered very little attention Stateside. But for those lucky enough to stumble across her debut full-length, The Overture & the Underscore, it was an instant love affair. That album mixed traditional pop with moments of Portishead trip hop, blended perfectly by Blasko’s lithe and erotic voice. The follow-up, What the Sea Wants, the Sea Will Have, pushed the songstress further in the opposite direction by featuring eerie ballads, “Explain,” and more radio friendly numbers like “Planet New Year” (the video for the latter is a clip equally adorable and hilarious as Blasko courts and marries a organ piano).

So now we stand in front of Sarah Blasko’s latest. As Day Follows Night is Blasko’s most fulfilling release to date. The tracks are more constructed at all levels, giving a bigger sound to Blasko’s performance as she continues to navigate each song seamlessly with her vocal pirouettes. The album begins with the wistful piano track “Down on Love,” which feels like the opening of a dream. Playing on the day/night reversal of the album’s title, there’s the sense that Blasko’s journey begins at the point when any person is most vulnerable — when they are asleep. What follows could be a series of dream interpretations that reveal the heart and motivation of our singer/songwriter.

“All I Want” follows the opening by declaring a direct statement of desire. Her rejection of companionship and compassion goes against what it commonly expected from pop music. Blasko’s disdain spills out with lines like, “there’s no room beside me, I’m not looking for romance,” and “I’m just trying to be honest, I don’t want to hurt you too.” It all comes to a head in uncovering Blasko’s true manner, “All I want, is to one day come to know myself.”

Album producer Bjorn Yttling, of Peter, Bjorn and John, has crafted a thorough pop landscape that complements a nighttime excursion. Similar to what he did for Lykke Li on 2008’s Youth Novels, his work here supplies instrumentation that both molds and enhances the vocalist’s performance. The production becomes another tool of the theme, as with “Bird on a Wire.” On this track the bass line mimics the steps that Blasko takes with each word. Nimbly she sings in a staccato rhythm, “Caught in a trap of desire, you got lost, you got shot with a bow, an arrow to the heart,” as if falling off balance before finding sure footing on the more fluidly sung refrain.

Elsewhere Yttling’s production helps “Hold On My Heat” sounds like a stage musical, and “Is My Baby Yours?” becomes as sparse and empty as the tile would suggest. “No Turning Back” is drastically amped up by a heavy piano and echoing drum thump. It’s definitely the most attention grabbing moment of the album. If As Day Follow Night is a sequence of dreams, “No Turning Back” and the following track, “Lost & Defeated,” represent the nightmare portion — even if the nightmare in Blasko’s world is falling in love.

Whether Americans will finally discover the gem that is Sarah Blasko is really anyone’s guess. Not that she needs the recognition here to survive. Her popularity both critically and commercially grows with each release (As Day Follows Night peaked at #5 on the Australian charts), but it would be well deserved if American crowds finally came around. At least there is a sign that Blasko will continue to thrive. As with any dream, at the end of this album comes the awakening. And every wakening implies that there is a brighter future ahead.