Ears Wide Open: Youngblood Hawke

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Person walking through my office, a bit surprised: “You listening to the radio?” Me, turning down the volume slightly on “Rootless” by L.A.’s Youngblood Hawke: “No, but this song could be there soon enough.” And it’s true. “Rootless,” like a lot of songs on the quintet’s first EP, insists on being memorable, thanks to its airborne melody, dance beat and suburbs-sized chorus. The band is the brainchild of Sam Martin and Simon Katz – both formerly of Iglu & Hartly (about whom the less we say the better) – along with collaborator Alice Katz. Friends Tasso Smith and Nik Hughes joined in, and Tim Anderson (Ima Robot) lent a hand with production. The fivesome has a full-length album in the works for later this year. Ready, dance.

||| Stream: “Rootless”

||| Live: Youngblood Hawke plays July 20 at the Central SAPC in Santa Monica, Aug. 2 at the Satellite and Aug. 20 at the Sunset Strip Music Festival (Key Club).