album premiere: highasakite

When it comes to finding a pop jam, the options usually fall into a couple of categories. There's the music that makes you dance like a crazy person, preferably on a sweaty dancefloor somewhere late at night (or let's be real, early in the morning). Then on the other hand, there's the type of pop music that makes you want to close your eyes, crank it up, and just float away.

Considering it's bright and early on a Tuesday morning and the latter is everything we need right now, Norwegian quintet Highasakite is here to help. They're already a pretty big deal overseas--beloved by Bon Iver, who asked them on tour--and now that they're dropping their debut album stateside, it's about time everyone else gets to experience the band's talent in full. 

Weaving crisp, soaring vocals around synths, guitars, percussion, and a powerful indie pop vibe on Silent Treatment, we hear hints of everyone from Warpaint or London Grammar (on mellowed-out tracks like "Lover, Where Do You Live?") to folk-inflected crooners First Aid Kit on "Leaving No Traces."

But the important thing to note is the fact that there's no real way to pin down their sound--and this individuality, along with the layered melodies and captivating vocals, is what will stand the test of time. This is an album that's dense, jam-packed with intimate ballads and rousing choruses and everything in between. So forget about searching for your weekday soundtrack, because we've got that covered. Check out the exclusive stream of Silent Treatment below, and then buy the album yourself here.