Addicted

Well we can all blame Nicole Markham of CJAM's Washing Machine for inexplicably getting me absolutely hooked on this new female, Canadian artist. Vancouver-based electro-pop wonder Christer has blatantly demonstrated to me, yet again, how catchy and damn fun the right combination of pop vocals and playful synth-keys can be. Her 2009 album Techna is a powerhouse of a demonstration of her skills to pull off this combination. On the assumption that a few of you will pull the whole "Man, electro-pop is so played out" or "I'm so sick of all of this postal service-style stuff", blah blah blah. I can say with conviction that Techna will break you from this rut.

The album starts off with the supercharged "How You Like It" slaps down warming vocals that wrap around your entire head when you have headphones on and continues its assault with deeper, acid-like riffs that eventually are gift-wrapped with colourful strings to play the song out. Other tracks like "Cadaver" and "Trees And Rockets" use more pinpoint keystrokes and bass kicks to complement the vocal work in an effective and thoroughly enjoyable fashion.

If you're a fan of Ladyhawke, you'll love this. If you're not a fan of Ladyhawke, you'll still love this.

Harmony and Dissonance

The music of Hamilton duo Junior Boys has been described in ways like "rhythmic capriciousness" all the way to "bedpost breaking, bed-spring-creaking, neighbor-banging-on-the-shared-wall, honeymoon-hotel-room sex". However appropriate both of these descriptions are, the band delivers streamlined melodies that create an overwhelming assault of the senses.

A lack of continuity, though, is made apparent on their 2009 release of their third album Begone Dull Care. In the cliche sense, the band is not changing their sound, but evolving to shape the music to match the transient nature of life itself. You still have the same pop based vocals from Jeremy Greenspan that woo you into awe and inspiration, yet the production and coding is much more rigorously complex and systematically beautiful. More tracks like "Hazel" and "Parallel Lines" flirt with boundaries between soft sounds and quick programming, weaving a tapestry of a cold city night lit only by the pale moon and the dazzling sparkle in your lover's eye.

Tracklist
01. Parallel Lines
02. Work
03. Bits And Pieces
04. Dull To Pause
05. Hazel
06. Sneak A Picture
07. The Animator
08. What It's For

The album drops on March 24 in Canada. Stream "Parallel Lines".

What's the Difference?

Often (yet not always) I find that new-comers to the world of computer-produced music find themselves in one of two places, one of which is bad. Either they believe that all electronic is and sounds like European Trance, or they stumble upon one sub-genre other than cookie-cutter trance and actually give the music a chance. I mean, don't get me wrong, there isn't a single, best type of electronic; each listener (as like any other umbrella genre) needs to find their preference.

I shall digress into highlighting a few of the most presently popular categories:

Trance is that standard european sound with heavy synths and strings, often accompanied by that deep bass kick followed by a cymbal.

Electro-House is the home of popular bands like MSTRKRFT and Justice.

Glitch is a more eclectic genre, where in describing it using the simplest terminology sounds like an aural clusterfuck. Artists like Mouse on Mars and Autechre call this one home.

Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) is the offspring of Detroit techno where the musical style is more dependant on the individual than any specific genre, giving birth to unorthadox artists like Bjork.

Ambient is the genre in which the music acts as more of an atmospheric blanket than incorporating any real rhythm. The solemn tone of this faction is present in the works of artists like Aphex Twins and Manual.

Indie-Tronica / Electro-Pop is another one of the most popular sub genres. Many recognizable artists fuse the elements of pop-based vocal roots and electronic rhythm, such as Junior Boys, The Postal Service, and Ladytron.

Australia Does It Again

With a backward gaze toward the best releases of 2008, a select handful come to mind. However, in the electronic scene, few stood up to the unyielding musical brilliance of Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours. Though less technical with respect to their sound, the Melbourne trio once again proved themselves as master producers.

Moving away from their previous dance-punk sound, In Ghost Colours promotes a warm mixture of catchy synth keys and playful vocals. Often labeled as more "pop' oriented, the album still maintains its synthetic core. The band's electronic prowess bleeds through the pop-vocals effortlessly in "Out on the Ice Again" and resonates through multiple-instrument elements and drum kits in "Lights and Music".

Usually when a vocal strain is so upbeat and catchy it forces the listener to forget about or ignore the melody. Yet from front to back In Ghost Colours will have you singing the lyrics and dancing to the impressive rhythms simultaneously.

"This Lady...Does She Perhaps Have a Name?"

With the late 2008, self titled release, Pip Brown of Ladyhawke has prominently placed herself in a rising position within the electro-pop scene. The New Zealand native blends rhythmic guitars and bass with a pronounced and classical (almost vintage 1980's) feel of electro. Her lower, classical vocal range provides for a more unconventional, yet refreshing foreground to create a multi-modular cascade of sound, each element blending effortlessly with the other.

Though this release is a new addition to the game, by no means is Brown an inexperienced musician. She had previously been involved in two native Australian bands. Wellington was an initiative straight out of high school that she started with some friends, which led her to eventually pairing up with Nick Littlemore of Pnau to form Teenager. After two years collaborating with Nick, they parted ways so she could begin to focus on a conceptual solo effort dubbed Ladyhawke.

The album can be purchased both through Amazon and in the iTunes store. Click to preview a selection of tracks.

Featured Flashback Album: Ellen Allien - Thrills

Thrills is the fourth full length studio album from German electronic artist Ellen Allien. The ten tracks across the entire album feature blended elements of classic techno and new-age electro. The style of Allien has been said to be tough to pin to a specific genre, as she tends keep even the most flashiest of beats saturated with an experimental feel.

Though electronic in nature, Thrills also incorporates ethereal vocals to compliment the stylistic rhythms of her work. The opening track Come gives off a summative perspective on the album's musical intentions, as it uses heavy synth sets layered over a pronounced bass line. Definitely a good investment.