The L.A.-based artist known as AM is a product of the Northshore and Loyola-educated. His output to date has been attractive, but nothing as compelling as Celestial Electric, his collaboration with producer Shawn Lee. It reflects their shared affection for ’60s psychedelia and ’70s pop-rock (including a cover of Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ “Jackie Blue”), but Lee’s looped percussion and studio sensibility keeps the vintage keyboard parts from marking the album as overly retro. It helps that these songs are also AM’s strongest yet, with lovely, engaging melodies that emotionally ground the electronic shimmer.

Here is Thievery Corporation’s remix of “Promises Are Never Far From Lies,” a song from the album:

AM & Shawn Lee – Promises Are Never Far From Lies (Thievery Corporation Remix) by AMSOUNDS

You can hear more of Celestial Electric at AM’s Soundcloud page.

AM also documented the making of the album on video. Here’s a look into the process:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5C58Ch523U&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]