On their new digital/ vinyl-only Nights EP, L.A.'s Midnight Movies utilize their masterful use of sooty musical textures in a couple fine remakes of the nipples-erecting, Moody Blues love epic, "Nights In White Satin". In their faithful rendition, one of the highlights of the band's acclaimed live show, singer Gina Olivier compliments the classic's flute-assisted, dream-pop shadings in a wispy-voiced performance that takes on a deeper level of mystique in an even more transfixing French-sung version.

The covers bookend this six-song odds 'n' sods collection, a tribute to fans who have followed the band's thematic, indie-psychedelic sound through their 2004 self-titled debut and last year's musically muscular, more identity-establishing follow-up, Lion The Girl. Two unreleased tracks from the Lion sessions appear here, and while that usually means that the cuts will probably be forgettable, one of the two, "Should Have Known", proves to be anything but. Busting through the gates with rollicking drums and a wall of guitar effectively penetrated by Olivier's ethereal vocal, the song's juxtaposition of the aggressive and sleepy carries a starry magnetism that'll leave you yearning to be engulfed by it's stormy haze again and again.

The other two entries offer some solid remixes handled by the likes of Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha and Yeah Yeah Yeah's Nick Zinner, who give the band a likable modern electro-zing they really should consider tackling on future projects. Especially on "Souvenirs", where Zinner slaps a snazzy dance-punk tattoo on the already new-wave-tinged original, causing an explosion of sound that's nowhere near the confused mess it might sound on paper.

While Lion The Girl remains the Midnight Movies' most essential release, Nights EP has some intriguing treasures within it's brief run, making it a decent starting point for the uninitiated and a stopgap "thank you" (as well as a promising glimpse of what could come) for longtime fans.

Cop Nights EP on iTunes.



DL: "Souvenirs (Nick Zinner Remix)" (YFH)

(Shout out to Jessi over at Sneak Attack Media!!)