Artist of the day: Passion Pit

Hailing from Cambridge, Massachusetts, this electronic band’s unique sound has kindled whispers ever since they released their 2008 debut EP, Chunk of Change. And with the release of their first full-length studio album, Manners, in June, those whispers have quickly transformed into a buzz, especially after their performance at Bonnaroo this summer. Passion Pit is a five-man band, chock-full of synths and really cool lyrics that was named after a vocab word the lead singer (Michael Angeliakos) learned in school. Passion Pit is apparently “a slang term for a drive-in movie theatre where kids used to go to make out.”

While visions of Animal Collective come to mind within the first few seconds of listening, a further investigation into the band’s sound knocks out any sort of preconception or comparison you were hoping to make. The band has an incredibly unique sound (thanks, in part, to Angeliakos’ strangely high-pitched vocals with synths to match). Passion Pit has got a sound that’s bursting at the seams with energy and has managed to write lyrics that are able to keep up with that sound. According to the band’s website, Manners stems from “a 21 year old with much more on his manic mind than girls, girls, girls. You know, important manners, like the end of the world and learning to love someone other than the man in the mirror.”

Passion Pit has managed to make it to the point that all bands (well, all least all bands who’s main goals do not include making it onto TRL) strive for. They’ve got that underground sound and slightly mysterious hype building up all around them, but they’re still a far cry from the curse of mainstream death by radio over-play. They’re touring all over the world up until early November, unfortunately for us though, Athens is not on the list.

Who's Who: Michael Angelakos (lead vocal/keyboards), Ian Hultquist (keyboards), Ayad Al Adhamy (synth/samples), Jeff Apruzzese (bass), and Nate Donmoyer (drums)

Formed: 1997, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Latest Release: Manners, 2009

Label: Frenchkiss Records

Website: www.passionpitmusic.com

-Laurie Moot

Currently listening to: "Little Secrets," by Passion Pit

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