Sir Sly, fronted by Biola alumnus Landon Jacobs, have caused a good deal of buzz around the Los Angeles indie music scene since the release of their EP titled “Gold” last year. The title track from that release garnered the band national attention as they toured the country this past year. The band now shows their true talent with the release of their debut album “You Haunt Me.” Sir Sly find themselves lumped into the nearly all-encompassing genre of indie pop. However, if you are in the market for sugar sweet pop melodies in the vein of CHVRCHES or Passion Pit, you may be disappointed. Instead of going the route of releasing a barrage of top-40 ready radio hits, Sir Sly took the road less traveled and opted for a darker approach.

Many of the songs on “You Haunt Me” will sound familiar to those who have heard “Gold,” as all of the tracks from that EP were recycled for this debut. The new additions to the band’s songbook fit nicely alongside their previous work. “Nowhere / Bloodlines pt. 1” has irresistibly hummable melodies, underpinned with wall-shaking percussion. Sir Sly has clearly taken some tips from Lana Del Rey’s playbook, using hip hop beats that go behind irrepressible minor-key melodies. Like many songs by the aforementioned artist, though they are not feel-good party anthems, many of the songs on “You Haunt Me”  such as “Inferno” and “Leave You” are just downright danceable.

Sir Sly have completed the daunting task of creating an accessible album without feeling too sugary or cliche. They have crafted a unique sound that is distinctly Sir Sly, by using elements from great artists who came before them, and mixing them together beautifully into a new piece of art. It is clear that Sir Sly are still a very young band, still trying to find themselves in many ways, but “You Haunt Me” is proof that they have something to say. This album shows the potential Sir Sly has to make music that is not just good, but great.