Far And Near EP

Pretend for a second you’re making the playlist for your super-fun, hip dance party. You’ve already moved through some groovy tracks, but everyone’s a little winded. You don’t want to ruin the mood with an actual slow dance, but you aren’t ready to just let it drop. What do you do? Answer: Put on the new Panda Riot (may I recommend “Streetlights and You and Me”?). Previously best known for an excellent cover of “Paper Planes,” this Chicago dream-pop trio’s new collection of songs, Far And Near, strikes the perfect balance between being cute and too cute. Sure, there’s that childlike sound that qualifies it as dream pop, but there’s nary a wall of sound in sight. If you enjoy drum machines and ethereal vocals, this one is for you.