During the continued rise of electronic music over the past several years, countless acts have attempted to take the basic facets of the genre and make it their own with little twists of psychedelia and the like. It’s a tricky endeavor, for sure, so we’re glad that bands like Blackbird Blackbird have joined in on the fun with songs that pick and choose the best styles to create something that is at once familiar and fresh. Though their debut doesn’t have any ceiling-shattering moments, it is unfailingly pleasant in its entirety because of its apparently innate carefree breeziness.

Even when singer and one-man band Mikey S (formerly known as Bye Bye Blackbird) definitively sings that he’s going to pack up his bags and leave town, it sounds nonchalant, as though he’s being taken away from something unexpectedly but is still perfectly content to just roll with it. The musician bills his music as “acousmatic”; the adjective is fitting in a way; you can’t help but visualize snowflakes and glitter and clouds without quite realizing why, as the music never seems to force any kind of image on you through words or otherwise. The synth, the vocals, the hollow drum beats—all are so sweetly hesitant that it would be hard to dislike any of the songs on Summer Heart.

Though the whole album works together quite well, there are a few songs that stand out for both their subtlety and the shimmery pleasure they instantly give from their starts. One of these is “So Sorry Girl,” in which apologetic lines like “so sorry girl/that you need my heart” are overshadowed by half-hearted explanations like “I’m a burnout” and “I’m looking out for number one.” It’s kind of melancholy but also strangely playful, creating a unique interplay of moods that comes off sounding just right. “Dreams I Create” has the same sort of strange and pleasurable mix of tones, sounding regretful and carefree at the same time while also being completely danceable as well. “I’m Feeling Hazy” sounds just like the title suggests it should, with only three words backed by echoing coos and ever-so-light synths lending delicate support for the song’s woozy dreamscape. The fact that most of the songs are two minutes or less in length only makes them sweeter in their apparent simplicity.

Another thing that sets Blackbird Blackbird apart from his peers is Mikey S’s quality of invoking his own personal style while still making music that is ripe for remixing. An ideal example of this is the Sunvisor remix of “Hawaii,” which is stunning all around, with a repeating line of “give me one goodbye/ give me one good reason to stay” layered over steel drums and totally catchy beats and faraway back-up vocals. After hearing the remix, it is apparent that a lot of the songs on Summer Heart are great on their own but also provide great raw material for other artists to work with, and should Blackbird Blackbird continue to rise in popularity it will be interesting to see how many other beautiful songs can come out of the original material. Though it’s most often low-key, the music on here is memorable for its wistful, layered hooks and simple but affecting lyrics and instrumentation. Check it out!

Track List:
1. Blurring Lines
2. Summer Heart
3. Pure
4. Happy High
5. Hawaii
6. Sunspray
7. Float On (Modest Mouse cover)
8. Ups & Downs
9. Heartbeat
10. Let's Move on Together
11. So Sorry Girl
12. Aura
13. Kings
14. Avalanche
15. Dreams I Create
16. I'm Feeling Hazy

Bonus Tracks:
17. We Have to Know (Feat. Neon Canyon)
18. Hawaii (Sunvisor Remix)