Airhead's 'Wait' Brings Softness to Electronic Music

05:10

June 10, 2013

Airhead performs at Southbank Centre in London, Oct. 13, 2012. (Airhead/Facebook)

NPR's Stephen Thompson, editor and writer for NPR Music, brings us new music from unexpected sources.

His latest find is the song "Wait" by Airhead (otherwise known as Rob McAndrews) from the newly-released album "For Years."

A project between McAndrews and his boyhood friend James Blake, the album combines lilting vocals and an electronic background.

Thompson told Here & Now the song is a "beautiful, sad little android of a song."

You can hear the whole album, which is out June 25th, on NPR's First Listen:

First Listen: Airhead, 'For Years'

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Pitchfork "For Years transitions from distorted samples of Cat Power and Karen O, to molecular techno, to contemplative ambience-- sometimes, all within the same track."

CMJ "Clearly eager to elevate his craft, McAndrews uses brief samples (like various Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ samples on Wait) and swooning electronics to create complex, swirling, emotional music."

Guest:

Stephen Thompson, editor and writer for NPR music.

This segment aired on June 10, 2013.

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