Is Xylos the New Abba? CD out later in 2010, Live at The Studio on 02.19

The love-inducing quintet Xylos has been bringing up-lifting dreamy soft tunes to the world since the release of their debut EP, Bedrooms in 2008. Their songs are a heavenly chorus of female and male vocals that will take you back to those Sunday afternoons at church harmony – ah! Don’t you ever miss those days when you could sing unselfconsciously during mass? As their name suggests there is plenty of xylophone-like percussive sounds here, plus gentle electric guitars and a laid back rhythm section. The band showcases a noteworthy musical maturity, channeling at times tropical influences (In The Bedroom), and experimenting at others with more daring ideas/song structures (Mission). The female lead singer’s vocals have the power to trigger instant attention and warmth. Their debut LP (produced by Britt Myers – the man behind bands like Chairlift and Yeasayer) will be out later this year, but in the meantime you shouldn’t miss their live show at The Studio at Webster Hall, Friday the 19th. – Chloe Schildhause