Yppah

According to the press notes, Eighty One, the third offering by Joe Corrales Jr. (aka Yppah, pronounced "yippah"), was inspired by regular surfing trips to Galveston, TX and Long Beach, CA, respectively, and it's drenched in a balmy, tropical aura. Don't mistake joy for frivolity though, as the styles that informed Corrales's previous two releases – from shoegaze to hip-hop and electronica – are still present, but Eighty One is his most cohesive effort to date. The giggling children and glistening synths that grace opener "Blue Schwinn" set up the sunny, day-at-the-beach vibe right away and "Film Burn" (one of four cuts featuring the celestial vocals of Anomie Bell) marries a lovely melody to a dusted hip-hop groove, evoking a widescreen, oceanic panorama. There isn't a weak track and the fun that Corrales obviously had making this set is infectious. Spring has barely sprung, but Eighty One is the ultimate summer listen of 2012.