Sultry off-jazz vocals with the constructs of electro-pop and indie pop building a foundation, Panda Transport, a duo consisting of Kathy Compton and Thierry Holweck have been around since ’06. The duo found fame with their single “Transmission” off of their critically acclaimed debut “Plush Mechanique”, which was featured on Greys Anatomy. Having written their debut essentially through Internet-based collaborations, Panda Transport set out to do something more organic and intimate. Intelligently blending ‘found sounds’ (they sampled cicadas outside of Kathy’s yurt and car-door-slams became a new found kick drum) with personal and emotional vocals, light melodies, sweet harmonies, and future pop rhythms, “Monorail” builds upon the success of their debut and proves that they’re far removed from the dreaded sophomore jinx. Pop fanatics will covet the truly catchy nature of many of the tracks, while the more indie and experimental music junkies will drool over decomposing and digesting the varied musical tapestries that make up each track.
Denver’s Kill Paradise who having been touring with bandmates Brokencyde (you read that right, sigh) is electro pop with mall punk and club synths & beats embellishing and utilizing as many of today’s pop clichés as possible. Auto-tune? Check and then some. Hot Topic exclusive? Yup. Music featured on one or more MTV reality TV series? Absolutely. Mixing dance beats with emotional vocals (cough, emo, cough)? Yes. I just shudder for the children of today if this is truly what the hell they like. The real question is if they can sing more than a single bar or two without the help of vocal effects like auto-tune…I think I know the answer to that. Hey maybe that’s what they mean about “The Second Effect” – that they’ve found one other than auto-tune? This can’t even be a guilty pleasure without wanting to jump off a bridge after listening to it. Don’t believe me? Just watch the below video.
So who wouldn’t look at that cover and mutter “Echo and the Bunnymen” under their breath? Well cast that notion aside, The Thought Criminals are a hard-edged electronica outfit formed in South London in ’04. Their debut album features dance beats that bleed post-modern club hit-making with electro punk influences and humor not heard since Lords of Acid. While they share about negative infinity with the aforementioned Bunnymen, they certainly have ‘80’s influences pumping through their veins and arteries. Nice. Think somewhere between straight up inferno electro and Sister Machine Gun. Yeah I know.
Electro-pop continues its insane drive with reckless abandon towards the top of the charts. New players in the market are oddly monikered Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head. Melodic dance rock anthems emanate from “Glistening Pleasure” with undeniable catchy hooks and dudical synth bass. While these kids aged 18 to 20 years of age didn’t exactly grow up listening to the beginnings of electro and New Wave back in the Reagan era, you can hear the obvious influences. Energetic and fashionably late, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head will cut into the fanbase of groups like Go Team and Le Tigre. Between the bubblegum pop hooks, the intrinsically performed synth stabs, and pulsating beats you have a signature sound that will earworm its way into your musical psyche. Gnarly.
