Lydia Goolia

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased songs, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. Today’s featured selection, chosen by The Morning Show host John Richards, is “I’ve Got Your Number” by Passion Pit from their 2008 EP, Chunk of Change, available on Frenchkiss Records.

Please don’t be turned off by the recent explosion of glowing hype about this Cambridge, Massachusetts, band tearing through the more hipster regions of the blogosphere. Nor should you be off put by the near-unbearable heat they’re packing in lieu of their slew of ultra-crowd pleasing CMJ performances (so exciting they even drew the attention of a certain Music Television network) — Passion Pit are the real deal. This is pop music, deeply tinged with the more listener-friendly aspects of modern electronica. Michael Angelakos, the founder of the fivesome, meshes his flat, falsetto voice with a blend of soothing synth waves and eclectic drum samples to create a surprisingly upbeat brand of melancholic pop. “I’ve Got Your Number” sounds birthed in concepts and sounds of the ’80s — as with the electro-salsa block and the almost-cheesy drum kit soul clap — but Angelakos imprints each additional layer with his influences (Randy Newman, Giorgio Moroder) and today’s modern pop sounds. Passion Pit is just finishing their tour with French popstress Yelle. If you happen to be in Anaheim tonight, you can catch them at The Grove. Otherwise, keep checking their MySpace page for future dates. For now, enjoy this video for their first single, “Sleepy Head”: