The Postal Service

Against a backdrop of percolating electronic beats and yearning vocals, indie-pop darlings The Postal Service bring an empathetic vibe to romantic angst. The group comprises producer Jimmy Tamborello—who records synth-oriented pop under the names Dntel and Figurine—and Death Cab for Cutie vocalist and lyricist Ben Gibbard, a duo who first collaborated on 2001’s “(This Is) the Dream of Evan and Chan”, from Dntel’s Life Is Full of Possibilities. To record The Postal Service’s 2003 debut, Give Up, they swapped musical ideas and files back and forth via post, adding then-Rilo Kiley leader Jenny Lewis as a vocalist and live band member. Give Up became a sensation, with the brisk electro-pop tune “Such Great Heights” and the OMD-esque “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” particularly resonating. The Postal Service have since reconvened several times for anniversary tours, including a 20th-anniversary trek with Death Cab for Cutie that saw Gibbard pulling double duty in both bands.