Category: Introducing (Page 22 of 25)

Introducing KOVAK

17 April 2012 /

Photo by Elliot Nichol

KOVAK are a Brighton based combo who formed in 2008 with a shared love of bleeps and noises.

Comprising of Annelies Van de Velde (vocals), Karl Bray (guitars), Darren Bray (drums) and Martin White (keyboards), they were recently spotted supporting TOYAH in their home town. Their new single ‘Killer Boots’ is cooing new wave electropop with an immediately catchy Italo vibe while the appealing video is appropriately simple and sexy.

The song is from KOVAK’s forthcoming second album which is being produced by Andy Gray; his remix portfolio includes Gary Numan, John Foxx and THE HUMAN LEAGUE. Recording is taking place at Arreton Manor, a haunted 15th Century house on the Isle Of Wight using a museum’s worth of vintage synths. Interestingly, the biggest international interest in KOVAK has come from Canada. They were voted into the ‘Top 10 Critics Choice’ by Now magazine following their appearance at Toronto’s North By North East music festival.

Their last single ‘I’ll Be Good To You’ from debut album ‘Heroes & High Heels’ exuded a syncopated disco thrill and can be downloaded free from their Facebook page while the feisty stomper ‘Sex Electric’ from the same album featured in Michael Madson’s film ‘The Big I Am’. The foursome’s sound is developing nicely with new album track ‘Modern Lovers’ being a steadier poptastic bonanza with classic hooks that sit well within a contemporary setting.

Colourful, energetic and glamourous, KOVAK are like BLONDIE meeting DRAGONETTE and GWEN STEFANI through a TUBEWAY ARMY voltage controlled filter.

‘Killer Boots’ is available as a download from iTunes

http://kovak.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/KOVAK/8594611777

Text by Chi Ming Lai
17th April 2012

Introducing INJE

3 April 2012 /

“It begins with deposits of ice crystals that are more or less separated; it forms during the cold, windy and foggy days when cooled water droplets catch the chill and immediately freeze”

Incidentally, their name in Serbian means ‘frost’. Hailing from Belgrade and featuring the nucleus of vocalist Jelena Miletić and instrumentalist Jovan Vesić, INJE have had the pleasure of supporting HURTS and FAITHLESS in their home country as well as being invited to play at Exit, one of Serbia’s most prestigious festivals.

Their chromatic Eastern Bloc charge will almost certainly please followers of LADYTRON. The excellent ‘Kofein I CO2’ from their EP ‘Protok’ is sort of DUBSTAR meets David Lynch film soundtrack with some sparing guitar work by Marko Ignjatović. It possesses an aural magnetism that is gorgeously layered with an air of wispy innocence. The self-directed video meanwhile captures a suitably enigmatic tension in keeping with the song.

Serbian newspaper Politika have described INJE as “minimal, dream-like electropop with ethereal female vocals”. Their first recording ‘Lego’ was for the compilation ‘Maska Sessions’ in 2008. While not particularly electronic sounding and sweetened with sax, it was a well crafted object of beauty.

Their acclaimed 2010 single ‘Danas’ has been a cult favourite in the Balkans while the remainder of the ‘Protok’ EP has a reserved melodicism driven by danceable but chilled out grooves. ‘Bez Protoka’ in particular with its steady backbeat and sweeping synthetic atmosphere recalls MARSHEAUX’s Sorrow which in turn was inspied by DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Halo’.

‘Kofein I CO2’ featuring two extra remixes, The ‘Protok’ EP and ‘Danas’ are available as free downloads via INJE’s website

http://inje.rs/

http://www.facebook.com/injeinjeinje

Text by Chi Ming Lai
3rd April 2012

Introducing THE MYSTIC UNDERGROUND

12 March 2012 /


New York based duo THE MYSTIC UNDERGROUND are Vladimir Valette on vocals and Benedetto Socci on keyboards.

Their sound endorses all the elements of the Big Apple’s electro disco heritage and recalls INFORMATION SOCIETY, KON KAN, BOBBY ‘O’, NEW ORDER, PET SHOP BOYS and DEPECHE MODE.

With their passionate buzzy glam stomp entitled ‘Discord & Panic’, a descending synth riff captures a tension that is in the duo’s own words: “life…set to a dance beat”.

Earlier single ‘April Fool’s Day’ has been described by Vladimir as “a kitchen-sink drama on wheels”. He also added “Everything came together just swimmingly where both lyrically and musically, we believe April Fool’s Day encapsulates who we are as a band at the moment”. Heavy on sampled orchestra stabs, it’s not a scary monster!

Meanwhile, ‘Pride Of St Mark’s’ runs at a more frantic pace. Definitely ”pop songs for the disenchanted, disillusioned and disenfranchised”.

http://themysticunderground.tumblr.com/

http://www.facebook.com/themysticunderground

http://www.myspace.com/themysticunderground

Text by Chi Ming Lai
12th March 2012

Introducing SOFT METALS

6 December 2011 /

SOFT METALS are a snappy new duo comprising of Patricia Hall on vocals / synths and Ian Hicks on synths / drum machines / programming / sequencing.

Originally from Portland, Oregon but now resident in Los Angeles, on first impression they may be considered part of the Minimal Wave, but perhaps have a more immediate sound than say XENO & OAKLANDER. Compared with other North American duos, they are maybe also a bit shinier than the more gothic CRYSTAL CASTLES.

But that’s not to say SOFT METALS don’t have much weightier influences as their affectionate cover of THROBBING GRISTLE’s ‘Hot On The Heels Of Love’ proves. They released their first EP ‘The Cold World Melts’ in 2010. Armed with an arsenal of cool vintage synths such as the Sequential Pro One, Micromoog, Korg Mono/Poly and Roland Juno 60 as well as modern ones such as the Dave Smith Mopho, SOFT METALS aren’t afraid to occasionally crossover into pop. ‘

‘Eyes Closed’ is probably the highlight from their promising debut album, elements of ORBITAL and Derrick May creeping into the rugged squelch ‘n’ bleep framework. Meanwhile, the marvellous ‘Voices’ is five and a half minutes of synthetically charged joy, dripping with cute and bubbly romance.

The brilliantly titled ‘Psychic Driving’ has Hicks’ soundtrack hypnotically pulsing away while his riffs and Hall’s angelic tones complement this delicious ditty. The widely processed chorals on ‘Celestial Call’ add a humanic touch to an atmospheric beat instrumental while ‘The Cold World Melts’ is their calling card, industrialised European electronics and a slightly unsettling vocal sent into a melodic dreamlike state like a less Teutonic Gina X.

With ‘Do You Remember?’, there’s wonderfully doom laden but appealing electronic disco a la SECTION 25’s ‘Looking From A Hilltop’. At times, Patricia Hall’s flirtatious demeanour even sounds like Dot Allison in her ONE DOVE days.

Throughout the collection, the Roland TR family of Rhythm Composers happily clatter away for an enjoyable percussive template, proving that darkness can be fun and without necessarily the need to practicce witchcraft.

Although several of their other tracks are a touch repetitive, SOFT METALS are ideal for those who like to listen to music in an unlit room, but happily tap their foot incessantly at the same time while unsure whether to get up and dance!

‘Soft Metals’ is available now on Captured Tracks as a CD and download

https://www.facebook.com/SOFTMETALS

https://twitter.com/SoftMetals

https://www.instagram.com/metauxmous/

http://soundcloud.com/soft-metals

Text by Chi Ming Lai
6th December 2011

Introducing KID KASIO

12 April 2011 /

 

KID KASIO is Nathan Cooper, one-time member of those once great white hopes THE MODERN aka MATINEE CLUB who in their time, supported HEAVEN 17.

Anyone who has ever heard their album ‘Modern Industry’ will only be too aware of Nathan’s vocal and songwriting talents on brilliant songs such as ‘Jane Falls Down’ and ‘Sometimes’, which incidentally were produced by the legendary Stephen Hague. With all this experience under his belt, Nathan now writes and produces all his music as KID KASIO from his South East London studio with guitarist Ben Todd and bassist Glenn Bridges occasionally helping out.

His most recent offering ‘The Reason’ is a superb slice of candy flossed synthpop with an edge. Coming over like a cross between THE CURE and ERASURE, it is accompanied by an affectionate Top Of The Pops homage video featuring Peter Powell and a few moves borrowed from TALKING HEADS’ Toni Basil choreographed promo for ‘Once In A Lifetime’.

Of KID KASIO’s other material so far, both ‘Not For Turning’ and ‘Living My Life’ are fine examples of bouncy riff laden ditties with catchy choruses reminiscent of imperial phase DURAN DURAN. Taking the route of acts such as LA ROUX, HURTS and MIRRORS in updating the ‘Synth Britannia’ template for the next electro generation, KID KASIO’s vintage but modern flavoured sound heralds a new era for one man and his synth.

‘The Reason’ is available as a download single via the usual platforms

http://www.kidkasio.com/

https://www.facebook.com/kidkasio

https://twitter.com/KidKasio

Text by Chi Ming Lai
12th April 2011

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