After a scorching first day of performances at Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival which concluded with Bjork's headlining set being cut short due to severe weather, Day 2 promises to bring more agreeable weather to Union Park when the music gets underway this afternoon. Standout performances from Friday's lineup included Mac DeMarco, whose breezy set was part rock show, part stand up comedy, as the Montreal goofball pulled out outrageous covers of Metallica, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Limp Bizkit, and Eric Clapton that ensured the vibe wasn't too serious on a 90 degree afternoon. San Francisco surf rocker Mikal Cronin played a ripping 45 minute mixed with fuzzed out cuts from both his debut and sophomore LPs as fans moshed and crowd surfed until covered in dirt like any good festival pit. With the music kicking off at 1pm this afternoon, here's a look at the sets we're most eager to catch:

Phosphorescent: 2:30pm (Green Stage)
The project of Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Matthew Houck released its sixth album, Muchacho, earlier this year to overwhelmingly positive acclaim. The record's single, "Song for Zula," is a strong contender for song of the year as it pairs beautifully textured production with thoughtful lyrics. Expect a sunny afternoon set full of newer material as well as back catalogue cuts from the artist's twelve year career.

Parquet Courts: 2:50pm (Blue Stage)
The Brooklyn punk rockers played a noisy, sprawling set at Buffalo's Tralf Music hall back in June which featured their classic indie rock evoking debut record, Light Up Gold in it's entirety. The spoken word poetry deliver style of frontman Andrew Savage along with playful guitar work allows the band's apathetic punk aesthetic to flourish. Expect the buzz around the young band to continue to grow as they should be welcomed by a large crowd eager to hear the lo fi punk outfit rip through jittery existential jams like "Borrowed Time" and the ridiculously catchy "Stoned and Starving."

Ryan Hemsworth: 5:45pm (Blue Stage)
Young producers seem to see their careers take off at such an accelerated pace these days and 22 year old Halifax native, Ryan Hemsworth is no exception. Since starting out as a laptop producer making tracks in his bedroom, he has developed a sound that combines elements of southern hip-hop, mainstream pop, R&B, as well as sample based electronica. His compositions are often ethereal and heavily layered, with a bright, optimistic feel and after playing a set at Buffalo's now closed Soundlab venue, his skills as a live performer have begun to take shape. The early evening show should be full of party anthems as well as intelligent, evocative tracks from a talented young artist who is clearly emerging as big name in the world of EDM.

Belle & Sebastian: 8:30pm (Blue Stage)
Keeping up with the tradition of the festival to bring in indie legends, the Scottish twee band will deliver a set full of their sophisticated pop tunes as the sun sets on Union park. Starting out as a school project that turned into one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 90's, their lighthearted sound gained them countless fans worldwide. After reportedly being pursued for years by the festival for a booking, the bands clever lyrics and smooth instrumentation should be the perfect way to unwind after a long day in the sun.

L.A. native Julia Holter didn’t leave anything to chance when it came to Ekstasis, her second LP.  Writing and production for the album spanned some three years, and the level of focus and dedication she brought to this project are apparent almost immediately.  Everything from the intricate vocal lines she uses to the variety of traditional instruments that make an appearance seem to be chosen with the utmost care.  The result of her patience and hard work is nothing short of stunning.  It’s pop music for the thinking man and it’s a bit of the avant-garde for the casual listener all at the same time.  Ekstasis has led some to compare Holter to Laurie Anderson, and certainly during her weirder moments (the droning vocoder on "Goddess Eyes I" and "Goddess Eyes II"), this rings true, but some contemporary reference points for her work might be Joanna Newsom and Julianna Barwick.

Holter is a stickler for atmosphere on this record, with much of it sounding like it was recorded under the vast empty arches of a medieval cathedral.  Each track is laden with reverb, but unlike many contemporary bedroom composers who are happy to hide behind the effects, she allows her voice to gracefully wash over everything providing the driving force for the album, "Boy in the Moon" and "Moni Mon Amie" are two of her more successful vocal deliveries and exhibit how she weaves a rich tapestry with her voice.

"Our Sorrows" with its combination of gentle synth lines, the simple plodding of a drum machine and Holter’s pillow-soft voice is the perfect distillation of her aesthetic through a pop lens.  "In the Same Room" follows a similar formula, and the playful Rhodes that provides the song’s backbone sounds like it came from Beach House’s most recent recording venture.  

For much of the rest of the record though she’s focused on ambiance.  Opening track "Marienbad" was inspired by an imagined stroll through a topiary garden, while "Four Gardens" and closing track "This is Ekstasis" are reflections of the time Holter spent in India studying the harmonium.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Ekstasis is its approachability.  Even with Holter sprinkling in some highbrow literary allusions throughout, the church approved acoustics, her adventurous leaps into world music and a generally chilling vibe it remains a pop record, and a rather uplifting one at that.

Grade: B+