I’ll second this. Knew nothing about them when I saw them open for Rilo Kiley. Was really liking their stuff, then the did this song and really sold me. Bought their album & EP as soon as I got home.
I haven’t heard the second one, but the first album by Sunset Rubdown (with samples here) came immediately to mind the first time I heard Beirut. Take that as you will, as I am not a particular fan of Beirut, but Amazon seems to think that if I like one, I should like the other.
I can’t come up with a good, concrete reason they should be associated in my mind (or Amazon’s), but there is some quality they both emanate… an amusingly melodramatic, almost mystical wistfulness? The ability to make me want to don ridiculously oversized clothes and sway around my apartment? Something like that.
Surprisingly, I didn’t really care for Noirhaus. He seemed bland and kind of muted.
I really did like Ikarus, though.
One of my faves from recent times is “Colour the small one” by Sia - her excellent track “Breathe me” was the finale music for Six Feet Under. Funnily enough when I listened to her I expected her to be hispanic but she’s actually white, blonde and Australian.
Noirhaus’ songs are hit or miss with me, as well. Some of 'em are “meh” and others show talent, IMO. I don’t mind restrained, as long as you can hear the talent. He’s actually breaking into the big time, he’s getting radio play in CA. I think if he keeps at it he’ll find his “voice” and put out more consistently good tracks. He listens to fan critiques too, from what I’ve seen.
Most of the music I like is softer and even the aggro, EBM, industrial, metal, goth, et al that I listen to tends to be on the melodic end (my favorite Depeche Mode song is probably “Blasphemous Rumours”) but he just didn’t grab me. I’m not the best at describing these kinds of things but he just sounded … flat.
Did you listen to Borrowed Wings and Imagination too? I think it was Devastation One he said he was deliberately trying to sound like an old man in one of his bulletins.
Try to find her performance on KCRW online - spectacular.
She is/was also part of Zero7.
snaps fingers That’s where I recognized her from!
Enchanting voice. Absolutely ethereal.
Direct link to the performance I was thinking of (2006):
There is also a 2007 performance by Sia on their site but this is the world-changing one.