CARDIOID

Newly minted Angeleno, Lizzy Ellison finds herself way out of her comfort zone in southern California -- and that's a good thing. After years of pumping up the indie cred of Portland darlings Radiation City, Ellison teamed with Riley Geare (Unknown Mortal Orchestra) to form the core of Cardioid. The result is something far less cloistered and calculated than RadCity ever dared to approach, letting Ellison's vocals drive this train of quirky modern pop. Patient crescendos open up to dance rock denouements, a country tune pops in for a "howdy-do," and flat-out R&B reveals Ellison's immediate and engaging honesty.