Passion Pit - Little Secrets

Another big album is slated to hit music stores this month is Passion Pit’s Manners (Pre-order here and get a free poster!), which the Hypemachine has been going crazy about for the past few weeks. I didn’t really give them a proper chance until about a week ago and they are pretty solid. Meshing indie pop with electronic music, Passion Pit is catchy, happy, and almost euphorically pleasing. In a Slate interview, they commented on their “unique” sound, which I found to be a bit questionable.

“It’s just pop music. That’s all it is. We use electronic elements, we use a lot of rock elements. We use a whole bunch of keyboards but it doesn’t sound like electrics. It sounds like we use keyboards as guitar players would use keyboards. It’s natural [to try label us]. We disagree with it usually. When someone says we sound like MGMT or Hot Chip we’re like ‘No we don’t’. We look like Hot Chip maybe, similar crowd as MGMT. Postal Service is the closest but that never happens.”

Sure. Ok. You say you don’t sound like MGMT or Hot Chip, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and disagree. I’m pretty sure they are doing this to differentiate themselves from similar sounding bands, but anyone’s first reaction will be to liken Passion Pit to MGMT, Empire of the Sun, Hot Chip, etc.

1. Keyboards and electronic instruments
2. Colorfully warm shoegaze, fuzzy, happy sounds of electronic music
3. High pitched male singer

Okay, yeah, Passion Pit is pretty unique in their sound, but to dismiss the similarities between them and other bands is silly. Just admit it. I’m not saying that’s bad though, I’m loving this new influx of electronic pop in this digital age. Love it so hard. It’s cheerful dance music and what’s not to like about that?

Here are a few nibbles of what’s to come on their new album.

(Additional note: Also, Passion Pit is far from sounding like Postal Service. Far far far far far.)

Passion Pit - Little Secrets.mp3 (Yousendit) (Mediafire)
Passion Pit - To Kingdom Come.mp3 (Yousendit) (Mediafire)

Bonus:
Passion Pit - The Reeling (Calvin Harris Remix).mp3 (Yousendit) (Mediafire)
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead (Wallpaper. Dio Remix).mp3 (Yousendit) (Mediafire)

- Albert