Holy Ghost!: s/t

Label: DFA

New York electronic duo Holy Ghost (exclamation mark) finally dropped their debut full-length this year, after a number of 12-inches, comp tracks, remixes and collaborations, and it rightly thrust them up onto a level with Cut Copy and -- well, now that DFA's flagship LCD Soundsystem has retired, few others in this very global scene. Make no mistake about it, these guys equally prioritize the electronic (read: dance) and the pop components of what they do. Most of the tunes here would both fan the flames of a dance-floor-in-motion and also settle in on your bedroom iPod dock (or basement party). The synth figure tucked within the beats and harmonies of "Wait and See" is yanked out of the '80s but doesn't seem like a retro-exercise, while the vocal hook could make even Martin Fry blush. "Jam for Jerry" is -- we believe -- dedicated to a lost drummer friend, and if we're right, a more positive evocation of his spirit couldn't be imagined. "It's Not Over" comes on a bit harder, mechanized synths and beats trading blows, yet still retains the group's pop M.O. If you feel like your party's missing something, check to make sure you have Holy Ghost!