Thank God for new Phantogram.  In the past two years since their last release they’ve collaborated with Big Boi and Flaming Lips, but it’s great to hear new tunes from the NYC duo.  In the past couple weeks they’ve released two tracks showing they are still the best at blending synthpop, trip-hop, and shoegaze into pure magic.  Both “Celebrating Nothing” and “Black Out Days” are from the self-titles EP due out September 30th.

As you know I don’t usually step into the hip-hop arena but this is pretty rad.  Big Boi’s upcoming Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors features several cool collaborations including an absurd Theophilus London track but this might be the coolest.  Synthy duo Phantogram lends a hand on “Lines” alongside rapper A$AP Rocky.  Props go to both Phantogram for getting to work with Sir Lucious Leftfoot and to Chico Dusty himself for reaching out to them.

Big Boi – “Lines (ft. Phantogram & A$AP Rocky)”

What better way to force you to listen to my favorite Phantogram song than to post their recent video for “Don’t Move”. It features some post-Halloween creepiness and a mystical cube! Great hump day present.

Meme is an interesting choice of a band name for the Minneapolis duo of Lizzie Brown and Danny Burke. Originally meaning “a behavior or style that spreads from person to person in a culture” (the non-internet version), Meme the band do not come across as simply a style passed down. Though they do make electopop in the vein of contemporaries Phantogram with the swagger of Grimes they infuse a trip hop approach allowing their music to grow and take its own path. This leaning can be heard heavily in the below “Fallen”. In addition to making music Danny Burke also made the impressive music video for the more straightforward “Young” above. The two tracks are from their recently released album Young which can be streamed and purchased along with the rest of their catalog HERE.

Meme – “Fallen”

Missed in 2011

Guy/Girl synthpop duos may seem to have hit the saturation point in the indie music market (Chairlift, Memoryhouse, Savoir Adore, etc.), but what does it matter when they’re all so good?  Phantogram has found a way to set themselves apart with a unique mix of chillwave and hip-hop elements.  Their 2011 EP Nightlife is easily one of my favorite listens of the year so I must have been pretty busy to not mention them all year.  Give a listen to standout track “Don’t Move” and RAC remix of “When I’m Small” from earlier this year and find out for yourself how good they are.

Phantogram – “Don’t Move”

Phantogram – “When I’m Small (RAC Remix)”