The ‘80s-influenced dream-pop trio Superhumanoids has become a staple in its hometown of Los Angeles, and after successful tours with Local Natives and Cold War Kids earlier this year, the band has created the right amount of national buzz to successfully release its debut LP, Exhibitionists, via Innovative Leisure.

Singer Cameron Parkins recently told Billboard that he hopes the band’s music is “something that people can put on at a party, but also when they’re alone and feeling introspective,” claiming that the three-piece’s goal while writing and recording the album was to span a broad emotional gamut. In this aspect, Superhumanoids succeeded. Not only does the tone and mood of the album flutter between sunshiny pop gems (“Canteen”) and emotive ballads (“See It All”) but the group manages to create dichotomies within single songs as well. Exhibitionists’ first single, “Geri,” sounds like an explosive, synth-charged pop tune on the surface, but listen closer as Parkins sings “We both know it’s good that you’re gone,” while co-vocalist Sarah Chernoff admits that “Time won’t wait for either of us, we don’t belong,” during the chorus, and it’s clear that there’s some torment below the song’s glimmering surface.

The complexities that build each track create intriguing soundscapes both musically and lyrically throughout the Los Angelenos’ debut. And though ‘80s-inspired acts have become a dime a dozen as of late, Superhumanoids have figured out a way to make themselves stand out from others in their genre. Yes, their music is synth heavy and undoubtedly influenced by New Wave, but there are also hints of lo-fi and R&B scattered throughout Exhibitionists – mostly in the tracks led by Chernoff. On album opener, “Black Widow,” the chanteuse’s soft voice immediately takes the forefront, backed only by twinkling, sparse instrumentation. As the music creates a dream-pop atmosphere, her vocal intonation pays homage to R&B melodies. The same can be said for “Bad Weather,” a percussion heavy, vocal-centric slow jam.

Though relatively subtle, these factors are what makes Superhumanoids more than just another dream-pop, ‘80s-loving band. Exhibitionists is a solid debut and will hopefully give the trio that bump they need to excel to the next level of buzz band celebrity.

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