New Villager's 2011 self-titled debut is a highly addictive, lightly experimental mix of blue-eyed soul and psych-inflected indie-electronic pop. Live, the trio of visual artists/musicians Ross Simonini, Ben Bromley, and Colin Palmer mix dance, visual art, film, writing, and any number of artistic mediums with their music. Its a multi-disciplinary approach that could lead to tepid, not-so-inspired music. On the contrary, this is catchy, heartfelt, and infectious dance-oriented pop/soul that fits well next to such contemporaries as
Fires of Rome,
Francis & the Lights,
MGMT, and others. Further, with various Afro-pop and contemporary pop sounds running through such songs as "Shot Big Horizon," "Rich Doors," and the joyous pop uplift of "Lighthouse,"
New Villager also brings to mind a kind of an indie-art school version of artists such as
Peter Gabriel and
Kate Bush -- who themselves have their origins in the non-musical arts. These are rhythmic keyboard-driven songs with a generous amount of studio wizardry that mix electronic, electric, and acoustic instruments, as well as melodic and soundscape moments, in an organic fashion all the while showcasing the dual vocals -- one falsetto, one more baritone -- of Simonini and Bromley. Conceptual art inclinations aside, this is simply great pop music. ~ Matt Collar