Keep Shelly In Athens are Greek duo who create dreamy synthy tunes that sound both fresh and new, but on the other side, they have those Big moments when you feel that those triumphant harmony has been floating in the air forever. Their sound comprises all the best elements of chillwave, dream pop and somewhat lo-fi lounge that were overly hyped in 2009 and 2010. The first assumption that Keep Shelly In Athens were just riding on the wave of indie popularity, would be quite unjust. They don’t copy but create, they don’t imitate, but try to find their own face.
Their first EP In Love With Dusk brought us Running Out Of You, a single that contains exactly those moments of massive climax augmented from Neneh Cherry’s 7 Seconds to 80’s Moroder-like anthemic chorus; certainly one of the most catchy song of 2010. In late February they come back with new single, Hauntin’ Me, released via Transparent Records, independent label that has almost a patent for choosing the right poppy and dreamy groups. Hauntin’ Me starts somewhat different as you might expect, opened with a cute, balladic acoustic guitar-played melody, amplified and complemented by a relaxed saxophone. Then the vocals arrive, strong, reverberated and satisfiable. The difference and freshness of Hauntin’ Me also comes with braver work with electronics and more focus on darker atmosphere. Not that those sunny melodies are over, but Keep Shelly In Athens come with fuller and deeper sound. Enjoy this late-afternoon-early-evening haze...
