The irony involved with naming a band that thrives on a multi-layered, percussion-thick sound after a noun meaning a period of inactivity is perhaps the only obvious thing you will get from A Lull, who appear ready to carry the torch as the next great Chicago band. The lyrics and overall feel are lonely and triumphant at times, like listening to a man bragging about his sexual prowess to his cat, but perched atop the dense, gliding beats of debut album Confetti, they are never out of place, like the perpetually disinterested look of that very same cat. Saying a band produces a “wall of sound” is a tired cliché to be sure, but it truly is an apt description of the meticulously-designed work A Lull produces. In a time wrought with interchangeable indie groups, it is beyond refreshing to hear a band strive for something unique and hit their mark as impressively as they do.

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It's tempting to call the electro-pop of Small Black a modern form of easy listening: their songs contain just enough '80s new wave synth to attain that level of comfortable nostalgia, and their soothing electro-pop style is that perfect mixture of catchy melodies and down beat tempos to make it suitable for most palettes. But what distinguishes the Brooklyn quartet is their talent and attention to detail that is evident within their sedated dance pop. Through Small Black's tiny catalog of releases, their songs continue to gather layers of sound and depth within their already packed electronic productions. Simply put, their music is infectious, and poppy and no doubt engulfed in the chill-wave movement, but it is legit. And I'll be damned if their breakthrough single "Despicable Dogs" doesn't kill it every time.

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Stumbling on an unexpectedly drinkable wine or a corner of the world you can still call your own private hideaway is akin to finding an eclectic new sound that is as difficult to classify as it is refreshingly listenable. Enter Rainbow Arabia, the moniker of a married couple hailing from the club-happy environs of Los Angeles and a duo that blends the smoky mystique of snake-charming auras with dance rhythms and dub-tastic beats.

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Memoryhouse guide listeners through a dreamscape of human frailty, composing recitations on restraint where rhythm is tempered by ambient breezes of hushed melodies and contemplative vocals reverberate inward.

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This young Seattle duo offers a potpourri of sound, drifting down woozy electronic inroads while maintaining a focal steadiness not found in your everyday collection of animals. Their music dips into despondent ethereality and bends slowly back toward the buzzy beats we know and love, but it never strays far enough to catch an edge and spin off into dark, structure-less corners or – just as important – run of the mill, dance-happy club music.

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Carl Fox may not be a household name in America, but he’s an established indie darling of the Perth, Australia music scene. He’s the charismatic lead singer of dance-friendly indie-pop band Good Little Fox, and in 2010 released his independently-released solo debut, Chunky Rainbow, on iTunes. Heavily influenced by the time he spent in Switzerland, Chunky Rainbow is a collection of minimalistic yet texturally luscious electronic pop that is easy on the ears.

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Many American music fans are uncomfortable with foreign music. “I can’t understand the lyrics” they whine, “so the songs make no sense to me.” Then they put on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and are immediately crippled by the death rays I wish my eyes could shoot. However, those of you who aren’t intimidated by music that's in a language that you may not comprehend, are in for quite a treat. Ceci Bastida’s hooky beats and buzzy electronic melody will get you dancing no matter where you are. She’s also got a reputation for delighting audiences with daringly inventive covers, tackling artists like Miike Snow or The Clash. You may not understand all the lyrics, but so long as you speak the international language of awesome, you’ll do just fine.

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Painted Palms is a family band…not in the Allman Brothers or Jonas Brothers or even Hanson kind of way. After all these bros aren’t brothers, just cousins with a taste for pop music makin’. Painted Palms makes music with lots of echo, pretty sounds, electronic detail and dreamy vocals. In fact, most of the songs on their debut EP could be described as dreamy – layered, lush and nearly psychedelic. It might be hard to believe that it was composed via emailing tracks between the two cousins in separate parts of the USA.

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Portland electro-hip-hop outfit Breakfast Mountain doesn’t take itself too seriously, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t serious about pumping out tasty jams. Like a lot of sample- and programming-heavy groups, it offers up two distinct experiences—live versus studio—but each avenue ultimately serves up imaginative sound collages and bumping beats, ready-made for summer.

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Jamaica is a French duo, which you can’t hold against them once you hear their rock’n'rolling, dance-inducing tunes. Antoine Hilaire, Florent Lyonnet, along with drummer David Aknin are stirrin’ it up with their mix of electronics and synthesized drums and guitars, catchy beats, and French-accented English vocals. High school buddies with Justice, Jamaica has been supported by the band and their debut album, No Problem, was produced by Justice's own Xavier de Rosnay.

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