Voices

In the years after the synth-pop duo Phantogram released their beloved 2011 debut, Eyelid Movies, members Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel toured the globe, played every big festival, released a few well-received EPs, and built a large, devoted following—and yet 2014's Voices is their major-label debut. It's a testament to the multitasking duo's ability to sound bigger than they are. Recorded in L.A. with producer John Hill (Shakira, Mayer Hawthorne), the album develops, without drastically changing, the ethereal synth-pop sound the act is known for. Barthel's breathy coo remains the star, floating above undulating waves of midtempo drums and swelling keys. "Bill Murray" channels Beach House for a languid bit of swaying shoegaze, "Howling at the Moon" picks up the tempo with a skittering beat, and "My Only Friend" is a hauntingly appropriate closer that nods to M83. The album is anchored by "Fall in Love," a sultry pop groove that wouldn't sound out of place on a Beyoncé album.