Seraphina Lotkhamnga on June 17th, 2013

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Jackson Phillips and Kevin Friedman may have only recently graduated from Berklee College of Music, but the Brooklyn by way of Boston duo, who have now relocated to L.A. and call themselves Carousel, has the formula for summery, ’80s-leaning synth-pop down. Add these boys to your pool party playlists, everyone. With songs like “Let’s Go Home” to “Where Have You Gone,” Carousel’s feather-light falsettos and sparkling electro-pop were meant to float and push out the smog for a little more sunshine in the City of Angels. Yes, the lyrics “Oh you got me feeling/ I wanna stay” in “Another Day” could be on the cusp of cliché if they were singing about a crush, but considering those words actually stemmed from falling in love with a new city every day on tour makes it a breezy and introspective composition. Oh, and anyone who pulls off a decent Robyn cover is more than OK in this blogger’s book.

||| Stream: “Another Day” and a cover of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own”

||| Live: Carousel plays Wednesday at the Troubadour with Kisses and Mystery Skulls, and shares a residency with Madi Diaz on July 16 and 23 and Aug. 6 and 13 at the Bootleg.