To say that we have been eagerly awaiting Phantogram’s new album would be an understatement. The electro-pop duo are back with their long-anticipated follow-up to 2011’s EP, Nightlife. Easily one of the best releases this year, Voices chronicles a new chapter for the band as they explore changes in their sound and push themselves as artists. “It’s basically our original sound, just a lot more mature and developed” singer Sara Barthel told LADYGUNN. “With the songwriting, we wanted to make sure the production wasn’t taking over or overwhelming the songwriting. We paid close attention to that. We tried to add different elements of production that we never touched before because we had a co-producer help us. The songs sound a lot better.”
Fans of their previous album will enjoy tracks like “Howl at the Moon”, “Nothing but Trouble” and “Celebrate Nothing” with their pop beat and dancey vibe. But other than that, Voices mostly shies away from the bright, upbeat sound they had on Nightlife and instead opts for a darker, moodier sound emotes a introspective vibe, which is something new for the band. “The Day You Died”, “Fall In Love” and “I Don’t Blame You” all follow a contemplative, brooding theme that really showcases the duo’s skill as lyricists, painting beautiful, haunting stories with their sound and imagery.
Voices will be available February 18th. Until then you can check out the album on NPR’s First Listen stream. You can catch Phantogram on tour this spring. Dates and ticket links are available on the band’s website.
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