Passion Pit
Gossamer

Once upon a time, I used to say "thank you Rock Sound Italia for introducing me to this band". Now, especially since that wonderful magazine is no longer around, I tend to say "Thank you BBC Radio 1 / NME for introducing me to this band". In fact, I discovered Passion Pit on the radio show of the New Zealand DJ Zane Lowe. I went to check their back catalog and found out that this band already had an album and a decent media success, thanks to numerous soundtracks for video games like, for example, Little Big Planet.

Passion Pit is led by Michael Angelakos, a rather quirky frontman, a guy who had to fight a battle against his mental instability, which almost drove him to suicide (he was 18 years old) and then to hospitalization to combat a dissociative psychotic reaction. The worst is not completely over though, considering the various recently canceled dates by the Massachusetts band to ensure the frontman's issues disappear definitively.

Moving on to the musical side, "Gossamer" is truly an excellent album: electro, indie, and pop combine perfectly in what is a work not to be taken lightly. It's easy to be taken aback by tracks like "I'll Be Alright" or "Constant Conversations", but with various listens, all the charm of "Gossamer" comes out. A lot of experimentation and catchy choruses ("Cry Like a Ghost", "Where We Belong"), more radio-friendly moments ("Love Is Greed", "Carried Away") and two masterpieces par excellence: "Mirrored Sea", which features a sweeping synth riff, and the single "Take a Walk", which has almost dancefloor-like rhythms and a chorus that gets firmly stuck in your head.

They popped up in my ears almost by surprise, and they didn't disappoint me at all. At least two listens recommended for everyone.

RATING: 8 (out of 10)