French indie pop quartet Tahiti 80 have been making music together since the mid-90's, starting with the release of their self-produced and self-financed EP "20 Minutes" back in 1996. But the band--made up of singer/guitarist Xavier Boyer, bassist Pedro Resende, guitarist Mederic Gontier and drummer Sylvain Marchand--are not nostalgic relics. The group has put out four albums in the past four years, creating a sound that is equal parts soulful pop ("Heartbeat," "1,000 Times") and new wave-influenced rock ("Big Day").
Tahiti 80's new album The Past, The Present and The Possible, shows the group is still adept at making a variety of different songs. There's the melancholy pop of "Darlin'," which sounds like a darker version of The Turtles or early Beach Boys, while "Solitary Bizness" is all spliced-up samples and shots of synthesizers layered over pounding drums. "Me and The Princess" combines kinetic electro pop with a touch of lite-guitar funk. Take a listen to below:
