Mandy RogersLA electronic duo Phantoms have just released their debut album which I might add is rather damn good from beginning to end and all that goes between. Stoked with choice cuts of the duo’s, production led brand of funked-up EDM. When all turned out, it is a smorgasbord of dancefloor killer cuts and pop embraced sensibilities. Whereby a fair chunk of it is solely all Phantoms, being that Kyle Kaplan of the band steps up in the role as main vocalist. Although, following the path set by other production outfits, there are also some guests invited on board, these coming in the form of rising pop starlets, Hayley Kiyoko, Grace Mitchell, Vérité and Harlie.
I have noticed that during Phantoms funkier delivered tracks of the album, they chart the waters much in the vein of Chromeo likeness. All funktified and synth glowing and with a splash of quirky beats to set of their sound with an attention grabbing edge. Yet in among the diversified stylization of the collection there’s an accent which points towards the mainstream side of dance pop too.
Fresh out of the bag, there’s a video to go with recent single “Pulling Me In”, which I couldn’t help but find smile inducing. As ideas go, the storyboard is pretty straightforward. The duo touch down in various locations, while out on the road and bust out impromptu performances, whilst all the time being animated in the dance moves department. Totally this has the feel of Chromeo all over it, as it’s absolutely something that they would do.
There was no need to empty the money purse on making a visual edited to the hilt with special effects, when all is needed is the dudes of Phantoms doing their thing and being entertaining with it. Let me put it this way, at least they didn’t push out an unoriginal idea like filming in a club setting or something of such likeness. Because that is so done and overdid, that no-one would raise an eyelid to it.
I like what Phantoms have done here and I hope they continue to run freestyle in the video making department some more.