Sunset Over Saturn

It takes little time to fall in love with this debut. Midnight Sister—the duo project of Juliana Giraffe and Ari Balouzian—dives deep into 1960s chic LA-pop territory, with staccato punches strung together by Giraffe’s alto voice and accented by a blurry, sonically distorted Rhodes organ, the aural equivalent of a mural left to dry after the rain. Songs like “Shimmy” fall into a sweet groove with Giraffe’s casually driving verses and shouted-out, shimmery choruses. Then there’s “Leave You,” with its ear candy piano lick that lifts the second half of each verse before tipping into a soft, floating chorus. The combination of Balouzian’s knack for classic, catchy arrangements (done previously for artists like Tobias Jesso Jr.), and Giraffe’s striking delivery, creates a sound that’s glossy but not the sort of pop that’s packed with too many bells and whistles. They’re just good melodies, and their attention to visuals gives the project a whole other allure. Give the album a minute, and it won’t disappoint.