Mature Themes

Following up on the wildly successful Before Today, Ariel Pink delves back into the well of retro-leaning lo-fi pop on Mature Themes, the third album from the singer's Haunted Graffiti project. Electro-funk revivalist Dam-Funk drops in on a cover of the obscure mixtape darling "Baby" by Donnie and Joe Emerson, delivering a faithful rendition of the drifting, lost blue-eyed soul gem. If that weren't reassuring enough, pre-release single "Only in My Dreams" shows that Pink and company are still pop purists lovingly exploring the sounds of the past to create the weirdness of the future.