Marshall Gallagher and Dani Poppitt are pop music whiz kids—and total romantics.

On their glittery power-pop anthem "Matter, the Los Angeles duo known as Shallows wax philosophical about love on the atomic level, proving that it's not about chemistry or biology, but physics, baby.

"Tell me that I'm not just matter / Tell me that I matter to you / And if you're not my ever after / Tell me what comes after you," Poppitt sings over a shimmery post-John Hughes soundscape, confessing, "I don't know if I exist, but I believe in our love."

Featuring a shower of sparkling synths, a totally euphoric electric guitar breakdown and the kind of candy-coated melodies you'd hear from a band playing a Hollywood prom circa 1987, "Matter" is deliciously bright pop from one of the West Coast's—and SoundCloud's—most promising indie acts. (Plus, Duckie from Pretty in Pink would absolutely put this track on a mixtape for Andie.)

According to Poppitt, "This song quickly became my anthem after we wrote it. It made me feel like I could survive even if I didn't matter to anyone besides my parents."

"I had so much fun making this song," Gallagher says, chiming in. "Somehow we were able to get a little philosophical while still keeping the chorus cheeky and fun. And I got to do my best Eddie Van Halen impression, which was totally necessary."

"Also, I knew it might one day get me in the same room as Bill Nye the science guy," Poppitt adds.

Fair enough. Listen below:

'Matter,' Shallows
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