The soaring melodic sounds of indie-pop quartet Robatanists are both fun and meaningful, danceable but headphone material as well. Riding the wave of the electro trend, they manage not to overdo it like a lot of these types do. Their third album, Plans In Progress, has an overall light and pretty feel, with cascading beats, airy guitars, and heart-heavy vocals. The dreamy and nostalgic track "The Ghost You’re Haunting" has a similar feel to Yeah Yeah Yeah’s "Cheated Hearts", with fading chants in the background, fluttering guitar reverbs, and an impressive showcase of Ellquist’s vocals during the bridge. Their single "On/Off The Ledge" is a bit darker and progressive, and the music video is a visual mind blow. Set atop a Los Angeles rooftop, the elements of the video are Warhol-esque, as some bright pops of color and art are thrown in with the party scene captured. Robotanists set themselves apart from most bands, keeping an upbeat and interesting style at the same time as being deep and sensual.
Upcoming shows: April 13th @ The Satellite, April 27th @ The Troubador, and April 27th @ The Cabana Club.
***For those who like: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Feist, Florence and The Machine, The XX.
–Jenna Putnam
Robotanists – "On/Off Ledge" from Consequence of Sound on Vimeo.