Passive Aggressive - Singles 2002-2010

Another voice from Sweden's prolific indie pop scene, Radio Dept. paints foggy soundscapes with a range of moods and ideas that steer clear of the more traditional pop flavors from Swedish bands like Peter, Bjorn and John or the electronic mystique of outfits like The Knife. Closer to the atmospherics of El Perro del Mar, Radio Dept.'s music is subtle and understated, though more masculine in feel than that of the one-woman El Perro del Mar. Over the years, Radio Dept.'s guitars have moved from occasional red-hot gales of distortion to dream-pop pastels, and Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010 tells the Radio Dept. story (so far) quite well. It collects tracks from the group's many EPs and singles and includes all the a-sides, along with a good number of b-sides, online-only releases, and more. It's a sweet journey from the corrosive guitars of 2003's "Why Won't You Talk About It?" (opening the first "disc" of a-sides) to 2010's pastoral "The New Improved Hypocrisy." A blessing for completist fans, Passive Aggressive is also a perfect gateway for newcomers.