New Artist Find: T.H.I.E.F.S

The introduction to "Breathe" by exciting new artist and indie electronic act, T.H.I.E.F.S, sounds like a cross between a Super Mario Bros. soundtrack and a church handbell choir. Then suddenly the bottom falls out and you're launched deep into the whirling sonic soundscape that makes T.H.I.E.F.S. such an interesting and fresh act. It's not terribly often that an instrumental track will hold my attention, but T.H.I.E.F.S pulls it off with refined expertise.

Special thanks to curator Francis for getting T.H.I.E.F.S the exposure they deserve. T.H.I.E.F.S, who is really just a Brit named Jack Wilson, gives a whole new meaning to atmosphere. "Breathe" delivers a straightforward beat and vocals like shattering icicles that are more instrumental than vocal.

It all comes together nicely for an ephemeral and engaging package. As if you could almost reach out and touch it, but can't quite grab it.

The gentle patter of falling rain in the background of the intro to T.H.I.E.F.S second track, "Mi Amor", can't help but make you think of summer storms. Then, like some sort of electro thunder, the beat drops in and the rain stops.

The sharply syncopated beat of "Mi Amor" can be challenging at first, but really sucks you in on a second listen. Artful breaks in the beat, like the one around 1.20, provide a perfect bridge and really help to accentuate the complex rhythm of the track.

T.H.I.E.F.S is planning on releasing an EP hopefully, "around the end of this month," according to his Facebook page. He already has a great lineup of songs available on his Soundcloud, and he appears to update it fairly often.

I can wholeheartedly endorse an appearance by T.H.I.E.F.S on every chilled out electronic playlist for this summer. He does laid back atmosphere so well it's almost trancelike, but still interesting. It will be great to see what new material this up and coming new artist reveals when his EP eventually drops.