When Dave 1 and P-Thugg of Canadian duo Chromeo released their sophomore LP Fancy Footwork early this Summer I thought they effectively crushed all comp in the retro-futuristic Synthpop/Electro-Funk field, discouraging other vocoder-enthusiasts from even attempting to bring the robo-romance-ruckus. And while a a couple of other peppy dancefloor-friendly records have dropped this Summer, nobody’s really tried getting at Chromeo directly, hitting them in the trendsettingly smoothed-out yet funked-up neighborhood where they live. Well, not until now, that is.
The first challenger to the chrome-plated throne of cybernetic sexiness is Nat Rabb a.k.a. San Serac, a one-man Disco band from Providence, Rhode Island, by way of New York City, and originally Baltimore, Maryland. His debut album Professional, released via his own Frog Man Jake imprint and distributed in Japan by Good & Evil and in Canada by Normals Welcome, is a slice of sublime smart-guy (one song is called “Nihilistic Love,” another is named after a vintage synthesizer) dance music that comes equipped with an array of slithery synth grooves reminiscent of the seemingly disparate likes of Prince, Shalamar, Depeche Mode and Yazoo, not to mention a host of other disco-ball approved acts of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Vocally, he sometimes reminds me a bit of both David Bowie and Ric Ocasek (there’s another lost voice of the ’80s I hear in his timbre as well, but I can’t put a finger on it), only funkier, and maybe a little quirkier. This is a comparison best illustrated by the previously-mentioned song named after an old synthesizer, “Fairlight.”
Listen to “Fairlight”
Coincidentally enough, the Fairlight digital audio company is based out of Australia, the same country our second contender for electronic Pop supremacy, another one-man-band who goes by the name of Muscles, calls home. He’s been burning up the blogosphere (and the playlists of Emeyesi’s sets on our radio show) with singles like “Ice Cream,” “Chocolate Raspberry Lemon & Lime,” and “One Inch Badge Pin” for a while, but is finally preparing a debut full-length titled Guns Babes Lemonade, which is set for release October 23rd via Modular Records. Though the roots of his music can surely be traced back to ’80s Synthpop, Electro and club music, he’s also more obviously influenced by the House, Techno, and other club-oriented music of the ensuing years, and makes a more stylized brand of Electropop that might be comfortably labeled “New Rave” (the track “My Friend Richard” is actually about a prospective “Rave revival”) or compared to that of Hot Chip. And while we’re making comparisons, the first time I heard “Ice Cream” I really thought dude sounded a lot like Tunde Adebimpe of TV on the Radio, but making dance music. I still do. And it’s still a fresh tune.
Listen to “Ice Cream”
So, do either of these records unseat Fancy Footwork from it’s place of sweaty, laser-illumined admiration? I don’t know. And to tell you the truth, I really don’t care, because I’m just psyched so many good records in general, and good party records specifically, have come out so far this year.
-El Keter
