Harlem Shakes "Sickos" [MP3]

With a garage-rock shimmy and power-pop twinkle, these New York kids craft a sweet cacophony on the cheap, marveling at how scary humans are.

"After a whirlwind of label interest and blog frenzy over the past few years, Harlem Shakes have reformed, reevaluated and rediscovered themselves. They have now decided to self-release their debut EP, Burning Birthdays, this February 6, 2007. Produced by Chris Zane (Asobi Seksu, Human Television, Les Savy Fav), the 5-song EP evokes all of Harlem Shakes' character and high-octane melodies, maintaining the hooks you've come to expect — while adding the energy and depth they've been evoking live for the past few years.

Burning Birthdays is full of classic-yet-creepy pop songs stuffed with some of the most diabolical, yet touchingly hopeful, lyrics to date. There is still plenty of vintage Harlem Shakes catchiness, though, with intelligent pop melodies you can hum along to — think Housemartins meet the Shins with the Beach Boys harmonies and a dash of Eno-style weirdness.

With Burning Birthdays, Harlem Shakes have opened up their hearts, minds, and melodies, and rewritten the archetypal pop song... all while delivering what will be the freshest and smartest sound of 2007." [MP3 here] [MySpace here].