The massive, appealing pop hooks of “Summertime III” by Dartmouth’s Smaller Hearts are born out of Kristina Parlee and Ron Bates’s love of iconic 80s electro-pop. Partners in life and music, Parlee and Bates take a page from other duos like Soft Cell and Pet Shop Boys, incorporating smooth electronic sounds and efficient minimalism to maximal effect.
Smaller Hearts itself is an evolutionary step from Parlee and Bates’s previous project, Homo Duplex. Under this new guise, they’ve smoothed out some rough edges while still embracing pop’s grittier side, describing Smaller Hearts as the product of “putting OMD and The Blow in a blender with Autechre.” “Summertime III” is a swirling puree of bleeps and blips, a refreshing palate cleanser beckoning brighter days, even if its official video features images of winter weather.
