Phantogram

Add Date: February 9

Artist: Phantogram

Album: Eyelid Moves

Label: Barsuk

Genre: Pop, Shoegaze, Electronic

Comments: From the promoter:

"Eyelid Moves sounds like the work of a band from the city. Electronic loops, hip-hop beats, shoegaze, soul, and pop interweave their way into Phantogram's songs. Unexpectedly the band resides in the town of Saratoga Springs, NY (population, a mere 26,186). ... The band references dreams when describing both the lyrics and sonics of their own music, and the process ofmaking it: 'Daydreams, the spots you see moving around when your eyes are closed tight, and the shapes you see in the world-- those are the kinds of things we want to surface in your mind when you hear a Phantogram song.' Hard to say from song to song whether the dreams are entirely pleasant or nightmarish, bleak or bright. But the music is certainly vivd and exciting-- springing as it does from an unpredictable mix of technological and organic roots."

At times sounding something like Postal Service or old Moby, Phantogram is worth a shot. While the album starts to drag by track 5 or 6, as the songs either get too loose or too mixed up in hip-hop beats, I found the first few tracks very enjoyable. Listen to the pretty, shoegazey "Mouthful or Diamonds."

Distiller