Courtesy of Culturated

The overly optimistic piano from Matt and Kim‰’s Daylight played through my best friends iHome and rung throughout her refurbished basement. I specifically remember learning that my eighth grade crush also liked this song, so we were definitely meant to spend a meaningful life listening to indie pop and drinking lattes together. Eventually I decided I wasn‰’t ready for a boyfriend and needed to spend time on my 13 year old self, but that‰’s beside the point.

Unlike a lot of other authors reviewed in the column, I can‰’t help but feel like I grew up with Matt and Kim (even though I‰’m still not ready for a committed relationship and need to spend time on my 20-year-old self). They were one of the first bands that moved me from the classic rock phase of middle school and ushered in the indie pop/trash phase that dictated most of 9th and 10th grade. Along with Matt and Kim, my Pandora playlists included Foster the People and Young the Giant. It was truly my musical awakening. I‰’ve recently gone back to listening to my not-like-the-other-girl roots and it reminds me of a simpler time when I still wore bras and wrote angry Tumblr posts.

Matt and Kim are still making music, their most recent EP WE WERE THE WEIRDOS dropped this April, and although their music still has the same infectious optimism, it‰’s a far cry from Daylight. Again, a lot of times this column can turn into me dragging artists I used to listen to, but that‰’s not necessary for Matt and Kim. Their sound has evolved, while staying true to their roots. The titles of the songs on their EP “Fall to Pieces‰Û, “Let‰’s Run Away‰Û, “Please No More‰” and “Haunting Me‰” even sum up my college experience thus far. I‰’d recommend this EP for a more serious study session or even a workout playlist. My favorite track is “Let‰’s Run Away‰” which includes repetitive yet catchy vocals from Matt Johnson and awesome percussion from Kim Schifino.

Although my 8th grade crush didn‰’t stick around for too long, Matt and Kim‰’s music has endured an angsty teen who “was in love with cities she‰’s never been too, and people she‰’s never met.‰” Now as an angsty 20-year-old, I can still count on the musical duo to brighten up any playlist.