Phases [LP] in Bloomington, MN

The debut album from Los Angeles'
Cellars
, 2016's
Phases
, is a moody, sexy collection of '80s-style synth pop. Produced by Los Angeles psychedelia and cassette culture wizard
Ariel Pink
,
is a showcase for singer/songwriter
Allene Norton
, who formed
in 2013 as a conduit for her love of vintage '70s and '80s synth-based music ranging from
Kate Bush
to
Human League
. In that sense, with
Pink
's assistance,
positions
Norton
as a kind of indie pop
Madonna
, in the same vein as her contemporaries
Little Boots
and
La Roux
, albeit slightly more lo-fi. We're not talking the slick, early-'90s
, but the 1982, post-Breakfast Club, house music dancing, promo video-making
.
's voice is pleasantly nasal, with just enough throaty resonance to give her bedroom club music some guts. Also adding some welcome heft to the proceedings are her backing musicians, including drummer
Dam-Funk
, bassist/guitarist
Paris Yavuz
, and others. While the album starts off slowly, it quickly builds steam, gaining your confidence with the fizzy pop of "Do You Miss Me?" and the sultry summer ballad "Real Good Day." However, it's the second half of
, with tracks like the Latin house anthem "Toys" and the dance-inducing, Day-Glo-hued "I'm Feeling," that really kick the '80s mixtape vibe into high gear. While most of
sounds like a long-lost '80s demo tape, that's a good thing, and
and her crew balance the earnest analog production with just enough exuberant tongue-in-cheek attitude to keep you smiling while you dance. As
raps
Blondie
style on the bass-popping disco-funk cut "Nervous": "You took me out, you turned me on, and now my blues are dead and gone." ~ Matt Collar