Nightlife＜Purple Wave Vinyl＞

After the release of their impressive debut album, Eyelid Movies, in 2010, Phantogram returned with a short but sweet EP, Nightlife, that refined and expanded the duo’s trip-hop shoegaze sound. This time out the band sounds more confident and outward looking, and Sarah Barthel's voice is less of an atmospheric whisper and more of a powerhouse. She sounds particularly good on the glitchy R&B-inspired “Don’t Move” and the late-night ballad “Nightlife.” She and partner Joshua Carter create a very moody, restrained atmosphere throughout, but this time make sure to add lots of hooks to keep the songs from blending into one another. Spiky guitars, glitch manipulations, and punchy beats (especially on the near-industrial “A Dark Tunnel,” which ends the record on a dark note and proves that Carter might be better off keeping clear of the vocal mike) give the record some diversity the debut lacked, without tossing aside the duo’s strengths. Nightlife is a nice reminder that Phantogram are around, making music that is nostalgic but also stands on its own as catchy, moody modern dance-rock. ~ Tim Sendra