Like flying over a futuristic city on a sunny day, Jay Pray’s new self-titled album has a technological feel to it, but it’s never a cold one. In a way it’s a little like the sci-fi movies produced in the ’50s and ’60s: free from cynicism, technology was portraid as an exciting and benevolent force. This is captured best on "Time" (streaming), where Pray’s smooth, soulful vocals glide over the track’s glittery and at times groovy instrumental. He’s also not afraid to slow things down, like on "I’m Sorry," where both Pray’s vocals and the arrangements get a shade bluer. On these tracks and the rest of his LP, Pray has exhibited a knack for catchy songwriting that doesn’t pull any emotional punches. You catch him live at Lantern Hall on 07/13. —Henry Solotaroff-Webber
