New York’s newest export is Corbu, a psychedelic electronic outfit led by frontman Jonathan Graves. The band’s latest single “Polygon Forest” is a tripped out synth and plucked guitar led track that’s music to wake up to. The track appears off the band’s debut album “Crayon Soul,” which is expected for release later this year via Big Picnic. Before that, we asked Jonathan, aka the man behind the music, to share some of the tunes that inspire him.

KWKA – Still a Functioning Hypothesis
“KWKA is Mike Fridmann – we got into his music over the fall while mixing our record, and listened to his EP an embarrassing number of times on repeat. The electronics feel innocent, always light and playful, while the guitar is this grown-up, sensual monster that cuts through them. Listen on headphones.”

Matilde Devoli – Dust
“This song is an all-conquering force. I can’t really move when it’s on. We had no idea what time signature it’s in until I wrote to her on Twitter and asked her (it’s in 5). She played every instrument, mixed and mastered it herself, and it’s easily the best album we’ve heard all year.”

Yumi Zouma – The Brae
“This was on their first EP. We went to see them and sang along when there were about 10 other people in the crowd (before they opened for Lorde, etc). The combination of Kim Pflaum’s voice with that reverbed-out guitar is like infinite palm trees. Kim has a really promising solo project called Madeira, always looking forward to hearing her sing again.”

Matilde Devoli – Summer Ending
“Every track on this album (2015’s I’m Calling You From My Dreams) is perfect, but this one’s lazy, late-summer swagger fit best here. She’s becoming one of my favorite guitar players – everything is so tasteful, like the jazzy solo at 1:22. The synths and beat feel like classic Washed Out or Neon Indian, but the lush vocals and guitar keep it in her universe.”

Sunbeam Sound Machine – Wandering, I
“The feeling of being on summer vacation, and daydreaming about the next year of school and your new life, which feel so far away at the same time. Sunbeam Sound Machine are like Tame Impala with the attitude of Beach House. The lyrics have a lot of substance, for something so musically hazy.”

KWKA – Flood
“I lost a friend this past year, and the only thing I wanted to do was sit on my floor and listen to this song over and over. When life presents an emergency, you reach for the music you need to get you through it. I needed ‘Flood.'”

L’Impératrice – Agitations Tropicales
“And now for something completely different. Can anything be more perfectly French than this? Love how it sort of morphs into Daft Punk’s ‘Aerodynamic’ as it moves towards the end.”

Black Light Smoke – Out of Touch
“Jordan Lieb (Black Light Smoke) has more great songs on his hard drive than most bands have on their greatest hits records. This is one of his slow-burning, slowly melting ballads that makes you sink into the couch and sing along, half unconsciously. Go through his Soundcloud sometime and get lost in it.”

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