Alpine – “Foolish”

Have half-day Fridays for the summer begun already? Because I need to catch my charter plane and reach whichever tropical paradise is featured in this video by sundown. (Okay, maybe without the surface-to-air missiles… you’ll see what I mean.) The band is Alpine, from Melbourne, Australia, and their new single, “Foolish,” is the sound of a summer we all wish we could have, filled with champagne, flirting, mystery and music. I can’t remember the last time I fell for a group this hard on the basis of one video.

Their forthcoming album Yuck suggests this fully realized musical vision “Foolish” is no fluke. Alpine hit consistently with a glam R&B/pop that’s smart and intoxicating at the same time. Check out the skeletal construction of “Come On,” which demonstrates the group’s aptitude for the zen-like R&B of the XX and Dirty Projectors. Of course, vocalists Phoebe Baker and Lou James steal the show with teasing, breathy harmonies and Beyoncé levels of confidence. When they coo, “Damn, baby,” you know they’re really just singing about themselves, as well they should.

Yuck comes out June 16 on Votiv Music.