High Places

by Jason Lymangrover
One of many boy/girl indie electro duos formed in 2006, Rob Barber and Mary Pearson of Brooklyn's High Places approach recording with creative abandon, experimenting with offbeat production techniques like random microphone positioning, pitch shifting, delays, and saturated blankets of reverb to create danceable layers of sound. Playful and peppy, their beats incorporate sparse and hypnotic tribal rhythms, with lyrics that incorporate unusually innocent topics like love letters to Martians and apologies to endangered species. High Places got their break when music website Pitchfork reviewed their EP and gave the CD a favorable rating, giving Barber and Pearson instant attention. That winter, a West Coast tour with similar-minded artists the Blow and Mirah followed, while High Places' first album remained unfinished. In July of 2008, Thrill Jockey made the band's collection of singles 03/07 - 09/07 available on CD, and the foursome made plans to embark on a summer tour with No Age before releasing their debut full-length in September.