Kisses
“The Hardest Part”
Kids in L.A. (out 5/14 on Cascine)

In 2011, the Los Angeles-based BF/GF duo released one of my favorite debuts of recent years — the bubbly, beachy The Heart of the Nightlife — so I rejoiced when the group (made up of Jesse Kivel and Zinzi Edmundson) announced their follow-up late last week. Frontman Kivel may have spent most of 2012 with his other group — the underrated indie rock quartet Princeton — but from the album’s first proper single, it seems like he hasn’t been neglecting Kisses. In short, “The Hardest Part” is basically everything that I loved about the group’s debut.

Its light and airy feel is anchored by a rock-solid, driving bassline and a touch of melancholy and urgency, resulting in a track that is easy without feeling devoid of substance. Kivel’s remarkably smooth tenor is reminiscent of velvety vocalists like Jens Lekman and (less so) Arthur Russell, and while it is often the highlight of his tracks, it is the slithering outro synth line that steals the show here, which suggests that the duo might have some new tricks up their sleeve on Kids in L.A. I can’t wait to find out.

LIZ
“XTC”
Digital Single (out now Mad Decent) 

Don’t look now, but we may just stumbled across the first truly great pop single of the young year. While little is known about Ms. Liz, we do know she is from Tarzana, has some famous friends, listens to a shitload of 90’s pop and R&B, and wants you to “love her like your Xbox” (Lana shout-out?). Her debut single, “XTC,” has more than a few shades of 2012 favorite and fellow Angelino Sky Ferreira’s devastating, “Everything is Embarrassing.” We’ll see if it sticks the same, but it certainly has the same kind of timeless, wistful keytar-tastic melody and nostalgic feel. We’ll see if she has any more tricks up her oversized army jacket, but the mysterious Valley Girl’s debut single is just about everything I want in a pop song.

Sky Ferreira
“Everything is Embarrassing” remixes by Krystal Klear, Twin Shadow, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Digital

Sky Ferreira remixes are like London busses — you wait ages for one to come and then three show up at the same time*. Even though it has been out for the better part of a year, the part-time model’s lovelorn, dancing-in-my-room jam never really got a worthy remix until recently when George Lewis Jr of Twin Shadow, Mancunian serial remixer Krystal Klear, and PDX-via-NZ trio Unknown Mortal Orchestra all took a whack at it. All three artists left Ferreira’s intoxicating vocal line in tact but took decidedly different spins on the arraignments. Lewis’ is a delicious, synth-slathered lazer show of a synth jam, while Krystal Klear flips it into a scintillating Euro house jam — think sexy Jazzercise — that is my pick of the bunch. While I still like it, UMO’s take is my least favorite of the three, as the group’s drum-heavy version feels a touch ponderous at times. Either way, I’m just glad that the brilliant original finally gets the remixes that it deserves.

*other things that are like London busses: job opportunities, sexual partners, triplets

Krystal Klear

Twin Shadow’s Remix

umo made it.

Local Natives
“Colombia”
Hummingbird (out tomorrow on Frenchkiss)

Earlier this year, someone I love very much tragically lost their mother, many years before her time. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to say to that person, which was complicated by the fact that I didn’t know what to say to myself. Do these tragedies happen for some clandestine reason? Or do they happen because the world is a fundamentally amoral place filled with beings with fundamentally fragile bodies?

During the production of their second LP, Local Natives’ vocalist Kelcey Ayer lost his own mother. As many great writers do, the Angelino finds words — beautiful, poignant words — for the kind of loss that renders the rest of us speechless. When he admits to asking himself every night whether he’s “loving enough” and “giving enough,” it is simultaneously heartbreaking and  redeeming. It reminds us that, no matter what, the people we love are always with us to guide us and remind us what is really important. It’s a truly beautiful sentiment and the centerpiece of what will undoubtedly be one of the most important albums of 2013.

Dawn Richard
“Tug of War”
Goldenheart (self-released, out now)

Dawn Richard is an utterly fascinating creature. Miscast early in her career as the squeaky clean mouthpiece of Diddy’s radio R&B group, Dannity Kane, the New Orleans native has flourished since the group folded in 2009. Richard’s triumphant post-DK debut LP is a swirling, mystical rumination on the end of a relationship that highlights Richard’s diverse palette of influences (R&B, electro-pop, hip-hop, Eastern music), impeccable taste, and unique voice. Though it is probably six songs too long, it is full of golden moments, namely this emotive, slow-burner that somehow both recalls The-Dream and Stevie Nicks. Richard chronicles the way that break-ups turn into power struggles, and as she’s shown throughout her career, she’s in no mood to back down. The diverse, challenging nature of Goldenheart may turn off a high percentage of R&B and pop fans, but those who are willing to persevere with it will be rewarded handsomely  One of the albums of the young year.

Listen to Goldenheart on Spotify.