Weekly Release Spotlight: Phantogram
Posted on 2/08/2010
Phantogram
[Barsuk]
In the early 1990s, the burgeoning urban art scene of Bristol, England gave rise to the trip hop and drum and bass movements. Twenty years later, Saratoga Springs may not necessarily seem at first glance to be another hotbed of brilliant beats and electronic innovation. But considering that in the last few years both Ratatat and Phantogram have emerged from this upstate New York college town, beats and samples in tow, perhaps it makes sense to say that trip hop’s influence reached further than anyone had originally thought. Not since Bristol’s heyday has a band so seamlessly and interestingly fused hip hop elements and samples with haunting melodies and psych-pop catchiness. And like Portishead and Massive Attack before them, Phantogram’s collaboration is more than just a sum of its members’ musical parts; it’s a pairing that can’t be replicated.
Keyboardist Sarah Barthel and guitarist Josh Carter formed Phantogram in 2007. With their first two EPs, both released in 2009, they quickly gained national attention as harbingers of a new era of electronic pop. Eyelid Movies, the band’s first full-length, has been highly anticipated – and with good reason. “Running from the Cops,” one of Eyelid Movies’ standout tracks, puts a modern spin on Massive Attack-era trip hop. Barthel’s vocals and synth on “All Dried Up” and “As Far as I Can See” respectively recall the bittersweet balladry and the feel-good dance anthems of Goldfrapp and Chromatics. Carter also sings on several tracks (including hypnotic slow jam “You are the Ocean”), which ensures the record never gets boring - not that it was ever in any danger of that. Barthel and Carter have also made public their adulation for French pop provacateur Serge Gainsbourg, and Eyelid Movies’ more upbeat moments (“Let Me Go”) prove they’ve done their homework.
Tossing aside the stereotype of “girl plays keyboards and sings breathily while boy plays the ‘real’ instruments and writes all the music,” the very core of the band’s success – arguably, the depth of its layers - is a product of Barthel and Carter’s combined musical repertoires and songwriting talent, making an album that is both compelling and irresistible. From the first five seconds of the opening track, “Mouthful of Diamonds,” each song is so layered and journeys to such unexpected yet satisfying directions that you can’t help but want more.
Phantogram performed instudio at our live broadcast from the CMJ Festival in New York City last October. Check out the session here!Stream: Phantogram - When I'm Small
Written by Dana Raidt, Radio K volunteer.