Toro Y Moi - June 2009 (Carpark)

June 2009may be Toro Y Moi’s new album, but it isn’t really new. The record collects early tracks from the time before Chazwick Bundick began his chill-out pop project, and even though nothing here climbs to the heights of his breakthrough Underneath the Pines, it’s still an exciting, pleasant romp. These songs fall into the lo-fi indie-pop vibe, not unlike the better material found on Teenbeat Records, especially on “Best Around,” “Ektelon,” and “Warm Frames.” But Bundick’s future chillout status is evident here; most notably on “Drive South,” which blends an R&B beat and some gorgeously mellow singing, and wouldn’t seem out of place on his past two efforts. If you only know Toro y Moi for the records that made best-of lists, you might be slightly disappointed at the rawer songs on here, or you may find June 2009 a mere curiosity. Still, there’s some great stuff on this brief look into the band’s baby photos.