Flirting with trip hop, soul and electronic weirdness, Brooklyn electronic duo Soft Lit, in their first video "Ocean King" (streaming), offers an intriguing style that’s rather melodic, but filled with dark, somewhat menacing elements (presumably) concocted by programmer Tyler McCauley. Tara Chacón’s vocals carry a minimalistic verse towards the chorus’ rhapsodic opening, but the song’s overall atmosphere never breaks out of the claustrophobic feeling it sets from the get go. Earlier single "I Can’t Help It" is a more upbeat, straight forward synth-pop number, but Tara’s soulful vocals can’t help but lend a moody, melancholic touch to a track that – with that radio friendly chorus – could have been easily developed in cheesy ways we wouldn’t approve of. Soft Lit will perfor at Rough Trade on November 4th.
