Passion Pit

Gossamer

Columbia

Was Passion Pit’s debut really released all the way back in 2009? Sometimes three years can seem interminable, but Manners remained ever-present, the sound of a constant summer that never faded while someone was around to press “play.” Thank goodness, then, that Gossamer continues the party, with more lush layers of keyboards, foot-stomping beats and sing-along choruses. It’s familiar, like reuniting with a friend, but still pushes in new directions, like on the R&B-inspired “Constant Conversation,” with its finger-snapping sway. That’s one of the more chill moments on an album that could soundtrack your next blowout—if you pay little attention to what, exactly, frontman Michael Angelakos is singing. “Can you remember ever having any fun?/’Cause when it’s all said and done/I always believed we were/But now I’m not so sure,” he asks, before talking about downing pills and gin. The track—an album highlight—is “I’ll Be Alright,” but the words imply our protagonist will be anything but. That dichotomy makes Gossamer an even more complex effort, and showcases a depth that puts Passion Pit far ahead of the electro-pop pack.