IF YOU'RE VAGUELY ATTRACTED TO ROOFTOPS.

Freelance Whales have quietly been killing it (see: like every ad on television right now) since signing to Frenchkiss/Mom+Pop in late 2009, and their ascent from local bright young things to nationally acclaimed indie darlings continues with the release of their latest single "Hannah". Helping out on the remix package, we got our boy Lightwaves on the case, who takes the Sufjan-meets-Postal Service original and electrifies it into dreamy pop oblivion. It's got the same breathtaking endgame as the original but takes you on a very different journey to the finish line - instead of floating above Brooklyn rooftops on the wings of Freelance's lo-fi synths and frontman Judah Dadone's gentle vocal, you're moonwalking through fields of neon fireflies under fluorescent night skies. Fully equipped with Lightwaves signature handclap drums and heart-fluttering synth drops, it comes complete with a dance break in the middle eight that will get even thems without a pulse on the dancefloor - clear some space to sway around your apartment to this one, people.

MP3: "Hannah" (Lightwaves Remix) - Freelance Whales [exclusive]

DISCOVERED.

File under: Next level shit. Mouths have been wired shut about Discovery for a minute now, but our friends at Transparent have gone and let the cat out of the bag and it's time for the world to know. As if Vampire Weekend hadn't conquered the world hard enough already with the world's most universally likable brand of catchy guitar pop, keyboardist Rostam Batmanglij just had to go and craft his response to the Postal Service's genre-defining Give Up LP, the hypothetical follow up to which may well be one of the most anticipated albums of all time to never actually materialize.

Batmanglij teams up with Ra Ra Riot's Wes Miles on Discovery, and the result sounds like a synthed-out Vampire Weekend doing their best to one up the Postal Service and R. Kelly at the same time, all shimmering electro-pop melodies replete with references to technology and Japan underpinned by a lead vocal from Miles that manages to artfully walk the line between Ben Gibbard and Hot 97 with a delicate grace. A full length from the duo will be out this summer, but for now feast your ears on a first taste with "Orange Shirt" below. An additional song is available on their myspace here, but rest assured these tracks are just the tip of the iceberg, with far more earth-shattering material to be unveiled in the months to come (just wait for "So Insane"). Get ready for a whole new takeover.

MP3: "Orange Shirt" - Discovery

Remember "I Wish"? Don't worry, we almost forgot it was the best song ever too.

// Surfstation //

MADE IT TO THE TOP JUST TO GET AWAY.

2008 wasn't quite the banner year for UK indie we've seen in the past, but Northern Irish bright young things Two Door Cinema Club are here to make sure that won't be the case in '09. Touted by industry types as Vampire Weekend meets the Postal Service and all manner of other vaguely fitting comparisons, the Bangor three piece aren't easily pigeonholed but bring a high octane brand of electronically-leaning guitar pop that sets them apart from their like-minded indie contemporaries. Our three protagonists all pitch in vocals over top melodic guitar lines and a faithful drum machine, all of which converge to lend their tracks an air of refreshing vitality and frantic energy the likes of which hasn't been seen in quite some time.

"Undercover Martyn" is the standout track from the band's buzzworthy Four Words To Stand On EP and it's accompanying video (above) is a simple yet effective treatment that highlights the band's aesthetic perfectly. The track's being kept under wraps for the moment, but they've been nice enough to sort us with an exclusive demo to make available for download. "Hands Off My Cash, Monty" is a damn fine song in its own right and just another reason these guys are one of our hottest tips for '09.

MP3: "Hands Off My Cash, Monty" (Demo) - Two Door Cinema Club ((exclusive))

Elsewhere, the results are in and the winners of the Passion Pit remix contest have been crowned over at Finger On The Pulse. The third installment of their No Big Deal party series at Glasslands last Friday was out of control and saw Mr. and Mrs. Neon Gold taking professionalism to new heights of dranx'd while Passion Pit played one of their most fun sets to date. Cheers to FOTP and Palms Out Sound for throwing down one of the best parties we've been to all year and be sure to check out the fresh crop of "Sleepyhead" remixes up for download here.

// Brian Phillip Davis //