AM & Shawn Lee, “Different Forces”

Think of “Different Forces” as sophisticated space-age pop -- a heady concoction of tropicalia, new wave, and future folk that transcends genre or era. The track’s introductory drums were played to a four-track and reversed using the flipside of the cassette. That trippy tape effect is paired with a rolling bassline, 12-string guitar, and snappy drums that cut through a growing wall of shimmering retro synths and AM’s velvet vocals. It sets the bar for the formal invention and attention to detail evident throughout the duo’s collaborative debut album, Celestial Electric. Their approach to production and overall sound cleverly balances nostalgia with a present day pastiche, landing them somewhere in the region of MGMT and Toro Y Moi. -- Andrew Jervis

"Different Forces" AM & Shawn Lee