Young Heel – “Love You Down”

Love You Down by Young Heel

It’s hard to sound sexy these days. Take it a step too far, and suddenly you’re some fabricated hyper-sexualized wasteland of taste. Play it cool, and your sound becomes “retro,” “dated,” “unoriginal.” That’s why there’s something special in Young Heel, an emerging group my good friend was kind enough to bring to my attention recently.

Young Heel manages to get it just right with the sultry-but-not-corny “Love You Down,” the perfect track for making some incredibly hip babies. As you listen, you’ll think you have their sound figured out immediately–until suddenly, two minutes in, they bring you to an entirely new level. It’s more than a song–it’s an experience.

The Brooklyn-based experimental pop project, guided by Clay Bassford, draws influences from such unlikely candidates as The-Dream, Arthur Russell, and My Bloody Valentine. Clay says he hopes of making music for thoughtful people to dance, cook, and make love to. All at once, I wonder?

And if you like what you hear, I have good news: The boys are currently recording their debut EP, Falls, and are throwing a Falls EP release party at Glasslands Gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on February 2nd. Yet another reason I am SO READY for 2012.