TESLA BOY IS AMAZING

Tesla Boy is a radical New Wave/Electropop band from Russia. Anton Sevidov (principal writer, vocalist and keyboardist), Leo Zatagin (bassist) and Mike Syudnitsyn (drums, backing vocals) are responsible, not only for the music, but for the entire outfit including marketing and promotion and styling... clearly this is my kind of gig ;) The only thing sexier than a New Waver, is a DIY New Waver.

The thing I find incredible about their music is that the majority of its inspiration clearly draws from music released in the Western hemisphere in the 80's, and at that time, this music was inaccessible to much of Russia, including Moscow, where the band was raised. Per the band's personal statement: 

"The band is a product of the next generation Russian youth growing up in 80's and 90's Moscow, influenced by formerly inaccessible Western music against a backdrop of dramatic changes taking place in Russia when the Cold War came to a close and the Soviet Union was no more. A new acceptance of music, fashions, and culture from all around the world embraced Western pop culture which had an overwhelming impact on the young musicians who hungrily sought out as much pop and synth music from abroad as they could find"

...this music just got even more radical, which I thought was impossible.

Aside from any historical sentimentality, the music is what powers through with Tesla Boy. With a clear penchant for Roland synths and drippy pre-emo vocal stylings, the music is transportive, stylish, and highly familiar, but simultaneously maintains a unique steely and echoey blaze throughout its production. The album that has the most potent initial hook, and really establishes their brand of music would have to be 'Modern Thrills' but quite honestly their entire catalogue is chock full of hits.

Check out their newest single '1991' and its remixes. Also give 'Fantasy' and 'Split' a listen, and watch the videos for 'Thinking of You', 'Electric Lady' and 'Another Light' below. Also included is the hour long Tesla Boy mixtape, a great way to introduce yourself to his collection. Enjoy and try not to blow your electroloads, dearest Bebopperz.

ALUNAGEORGE IS AMAZING

Hailing from Londontown, Alunageorge is fiercely bringing the groove back to electropop, which has been highlighted by their recent shortlisting for consideration of being awarded the 2013 BRIT Awards Critic's Choice award. With their clear awareness of trip-hop and their predilection for seductive grooves, Alunageorge is poised to become something of a bolt-out-of-the-blue hit in 2013.

George Reid's brilliant and enticing production harkens back to the bitter and warmly acidic romance of Portishead without the referential samples and downtempo tendencies, While Aluna Francis lays down vocals that pierce viscerally through the gut of the music with incredible intimacy.

With their clear excitement and eagerness to experiment, and willingness to collaborate with other artists, I have faith that Alunageorge will not disappoint with their upcoming releases.

Please have a listen to 'You Know You Like It' and 'Whitenoise' (a collaboration the duo produced with Disclosure)  and please check out the cooler-than-thou (and v. 90's in a cinematic Jean-Baptiste Mondino kind of way) videos for 'Just a Touch' and 'Your Drums, Your Love'. Don't die from coolness overload, dear beboppers.

SOLANGE'S 'TRUE' EP IS AMAZING

With sister Beyoncé pumping out mega hits for the past decade, Solange has generally taken the backseat to her superstar sibling's explosive fame... and, in terms of her own creative preservation and selection, that might have been the right move for her. With her new EP 'True', Solange situates herself in a nest of cutting-edge R&B/ 80's pop themes that are thick with a laid back coolness, experimental nature, playfulness and a humble reserve that prove she truly is a creative and star in her own right... and dare I say, possibly slightly more hip than her consistently over-the-top sister.

What allows Solange to reach such gorgeously light moments of breathlessness and floaty heights is her ability to hold back. There are definitely those moments of voluminous exaltation one yearns for from a pop song, but they are dropped into the music in no particular pattern, and very much an organic part of Solange's studio performance. The vocal heights of each song are compounded by lead-ins of more subdued verses and plenty of riffing and improvisational harmonizing. There is also a clear knowledge of buildup v. steady flow and although homogenous, no two songs are the same and generally take many unexpected turns.

Below, please enjoy the video for the first single off of the EP entitled 'Losing You', an old-school neo-groove drippping with sentimentality and a genuine and authentic homage to traditional african percussion and style.