Arms And Sleepers: Into The Void

Enlarge Courtesy of the artist

Arms and Sleepers' "I Sing the Body Electric" infuses traditional trip-hop with the pulse of danceable beats.

Courtesy of the artist

Arms and Sleepers' "I Sing the Body Electric" infuses traditional trip-hop with the pulse of danceable beats.

One of the few bands still carrying the trip-hop torch, Arms and Sleepers experiments more with electronics and beats than Morcheeba or Portishead ever did. The group refuses to adhere to any scene in particular, and its subdued, magical sound remains unique among Boston bands.

"I Sing the Body Electric" — no relation to the song from Fame the musical — is the least traditional trip-hop track on Arms and Sleepers' new album, The Organ Hearts. It veers away from the standard trip-hop formula of smooth grooves and vocals by throwing in danceable beats, Casio sounds and cell-phone text blips. Instead of gliding down a beach, soaking in the setting sun, we're transformed into pulsing bits of flowing electricity, feeding off a surging outlet.

The last two minutes of "I Sing the Body Electric" are by far the most captivating — Arms and Sleepers' lazy, melodica-infused sound spins out and melts away into the void, adding a new layer of depth to an already engaging song.