Babes

Announced in a press release as "a locomotive sex drive down a trail of tears," the Los Angeles quintet Babes present a lighthearted facade for their wistful, atmospheric indie pop. The group is led by the sibling trio of Aaron on guitar and vocals, Zach on guitar, and Sarah Rayne Leigh on vocals and synths, together with their associates Bryan Harris on bass and Jeffrey Baird on drums. This tight circle maintains an offbeat wit—evident in their dedicated hotline 470-BABES-77—while displaying a sharp ear for melodies that fuse brooding sadness with luminous sensuality. Following their deal with Harvest Records, the Capitol subsidiary, Babes issued a self-titled debut EP in 2014. Their debut full-length, likewise untitled, surfaced near the end of 2015 on the Seattle independent label Barsuk Records.