Blackbird Blackbird - "Crumble Before Your Eyes"

Mikey from San Francisco's Blackbird Blackbird sent this track over last night, and I've been digging it a lot ever since. I'm not really surprised, however. Though many artists and bands played integral roles in my summer soundtrack, I found myself turning to Blackbird Blackbird's gorgeous and instantly catchy electro-pop on what seems like a daily basis. So I'm definitely stoked to add yet another one of Mikey's tunes to my collection.

Blackbird Blackbird - "Crumble Before Your Eyes"

This track, like most of Blackbird's music, can be classified as textbook "chillwave." And while many might ignore or doubt a sound that is arguably so grounded in a genre (especially this particular genre), "Crumble Before Your Eyes" proves why chillwave made such an indelible impression on the indie music scene in the first place. I recently made the same argument about Blackbird's label mate Millionyoung - both artists layer their hooks with hazy beats and airy vocals in a way that is both retro and uniquely contemporary.

Regardless, Mikey's making some pretty interesting moves to define his sound and make it his own. The chillwave understones, for instance, are juxtaposed in this track with more distinct and less dance-oriented beats (echoing the Jesus and Mary Chain or the Raveonettes, surprisingly). And "Crumble Before Your Eyes" allows him to bring his vocals, rich with lush harmonies, to the forefront.

In other Blackbird Blackbird news, the hard-working Mikey just released an EP's worth of rarities as a free download here, and his full-length, Summer Heart, will be released Sept. 28th on vinyl through Arcade Sound Ltd. and on tape Sept. 29th through Wonder Beard Tapes. Get it digitally here.