ACL 2012: The Happiest Music of the Year

Some may call this a guilty pleasure, but we all need happy music: joy without melancholy, cheer without irony.  These ten releases – some short, because happiness is hard to sustain – each offer listeners a brief burst of ebullience.

Nova Robotics ~ Popola EP

Detecting influences in music is like detecting notes in wine: not everyone hears or tastes the same thing.  While other reviewers have identified hints of Daft Punk and 65daysofstatic, I’m picking up strong signals of New Order; and while Nova Robotics places