See eye to eye with the same face

As expected, Washed Out was excellent at the Riviera Theater last night. Even without a proper sound check, Ernest Greene's ensemble adeptly played a selection of their more upbeat songs, drawn from both of his albums and some unrecorded material, and the dance-ability of their pioneering glo-fi style became even more apparent with a real drum set and guitars.

And naturally, the Aussie dance-rockers Cut Copy brought down the packed house, sounding every bit as catchy and brilliant as we have come to expect. They played an excellent balance of new and old songs, effectively promoting their wonderful summer release but not leaving out anyone's favorites from their previous albums. They will be on the road a while longer, so catch them coming through your town while they are still stateside.

Today's emerging act is another group of young and talented Chicagoans, born and raised. The four-piece YAWN started in high school and has been playing its unique brand of synthrock for the last couple years, first releasing an eponymous EP in July 2010 (which is still available for FREE on their website) in order to get their name out, and building up to the release of their full LP Open Season a couple weeks ago on August 30. At first listen, they could easily be Animal Collective's little brother; but apart from lead singer Adam Gil's synthesized vocals remarkably emulating Avey Tare's, YAWN is entirely their own creation, and the similarities quickly become superficial in light of the varied samples and driving beats that characterize their accessible sound. Psychedelic in the best possible way, the deep layers of each track beckon one to listen more closely every time, and the members combine electronic elements to create a sound much more mature than their years. Pump it:

YAWN - Magician by Sound Thinking

YAWN - Indigo by Sound Thinking

They also happen to be playing here in their hometown on September 30 at Metro, opening for Mates of State along with Suckers. Get your tickets NOW.

Your faith decides

Ernest Greene began his career in the bedroom of his home in rural Perry, Georgia, and the sleepy origins of his music pervade through the style to the very core. From the myspace upload of his first few songs as Washed Out a couple years ago, he immediately became a music blogger favorite, and his first full-length album Within and Without, released last month, has already achieved widespread acclaim from the online music community. Like a soundtrack to a dream, the smoothly pulsating 80's-style beats and soothing unintelligible vocals lull you into the most peaceful nap of the summer. Developed in the Sub Pop studio with indie favorite Ben Allen and the same production crew as Animal Collective and Deerhunter, Within and Without delivers a more polished and enchanting sound than Greene's previous releases and, along with other chillwave acts including Greene's personal friend Toro Y Moi and Neon Indian, the album is crafting a new sub-genre appropriately dubbed "glo-fi."These two tracks are perfect for playing on the beach, in the park, on your daily commute, or just about anywhere that could use a little chill:

Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed by adamlunatone

Washed Out, "Amor Fati" by The FADER

As mentioned in a previous post, Washed Out is opening for Cut Copy at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on September 20, and it is sure to be brilliant. Get your tickets NOW.