a lesser panda

Vancouver, BC-based producer and musician Dave Sage's first EP under the moniker A Lesser Panda is an appetizer for a 2010 full-length. These five songs showcase his love of hazy, hovering, almost galactic synths and poetic lyrics. Book-ended by instrumental songs "Pull the Blinds (A)" and "Pull the Blinds (B)," the three songs in between are propped up, giving Sage a kind of effervescent, "looking at the world through the clouds" kind of image. "Molecular Man" is easily his shining star, worthy of a touching moment on a television show or movie soundtrack, with slow guitar, percussion and Sage's confessions of wishing to camp out in a girl's eye corners (you know, in a sweet way). Sage enlisted the help of producer Tom Dobrzanski (Said the Whale, Hey Ocean!), who adds bass and careful puzzle piece mixing. Nearest Neighbors offers a great introduction, and also leaves room for its follow-up. (From Exclaim!)