The Beat

Vampire Weekend

Ivy League Pop. Prep Rock. These are some of the names given to the sound of Vampire Weekend, but those nicknames couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, the reason those names arose in the first place is that the four members of Vampire Weekend, Chris Baio, Rotsam Batmanglij, Ezra Koenig, and Chris Tomson, are all Columbia University grads. Vampire Weekend’s music is more influenced by African pop music and western classical music than it is by their Ivy League background.

But don’t let the unusual influences frighten you off; despite the odd-sounding combination, Vampire Weekend pulls it off flawlessly. With clever lyrics, insanely mesmerizing beats, and the single most adorable lead singer you have ever seen, Vampire Weekend is a band to look out for.

Songs to check out are: “A-Punk,” an electrifying you-can’t-help-but-dance-a-little (or a lot) classically influenced groove; “Oxford Comma,” a reggae tinged, pop-rock tune alluding to the controversial punctuation mark; and “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” a heavily African pop-influenced jingle taken from their recent trip to South Africa.

MGMT

Hailing from Wesleyan University, music majors Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser decided to channel their musical talents into the spectacular whirlwind of brilliance called MGMT (pronounced “Management”).

MGMT incorporates its sense of humor and passion for entertainment into songs brimming with vibrancy and intelligence. A little bit of synth pop, a little bit of keyboards, and a lot of talent make up the pair’s debut album, “Oracular Spectacular,” which features electronic dance grooves with a rock edge.

Songs to check out are: “Weekend Wars,” a jaunting Rolling Stones-esque rocker with an acoustic edge; “Electric Feel,” a dance-inducing synth anthem with crazy-catchy beats; and “Time to Pretend,” a sort of ‘out of this world’ cosmo rock song about the clichéd rock star life.

Sondre Lerche

Ever since Norwegian singer/songwriter Sondre Lerche picked up his first guitar at only twelve years old, the world has been a better place. He released his debut album “Faces Down” when he was only 17, and since then Sondre has been a sensation all over Europe and the United States. Following “Faces Down” was “Two Way Monologue,” and his most recent “Phantom Punch,” which was released in February of last year.

Sondre also wrote the soundtrack for the award-winning film “Dan in Real Life.” That’s right, the whole soundtrack. His music, inspired by the energy of Brazilian pop music, as well as the works of A-ha and Elvis Costello, is both beautiful and courageous, a delicious mix of jazz, rock, pop, and almost psychedelic at some points. Check out the single “Two Way Monologue” from the aptly named album “Two Way Monologue,” “Say It All,” “She’s Fantastic,” and “Face The Blood” from “Phantom Punch.” Also make sure to listen to “To Be Surprised” and his duet with singer Regina Spektor “Hell No” from the “Dan in Real Life” soundtrack.

Kimya Dawson and The Moldy Peaches

Upon first listen, Kimya Dawson sounds like a modern folk singer. But she is exactly the opposite. Although her music has a folky, comforting sound, she is better described as “anti-folk.” Tangy angst-tinged lyrics with Kimya’s somewhat arrogant tone creates a beautiful blend of two genres.

Kimya’s success started with Adam Green when they formed The Moldy Peaches in 1990. Famous tracks such as “Who’s Got The Crack” and the recently featured “Anyone Else But You,” which stood as the sort of “theme song” of the hit movie, “Juno,” have left The Moldy Peaches a long legacy and as a forefather in the history of the anti-folk movement. After The Moldy Peaches went on hiatus in 2004, Kimya started her own solo career. As well as producing about half the soundtrack for “Juno,” Kimya has released five albums of her own. Songs to check out are “Tire Swing,” “So Nice So Smart,” “You Love Me” and “I Like Giants.”