Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'electro'

Holiday Music from All Songs Considered

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 11:16:00 EST

Pour yourself some eggnog, throw on the shawl, and cozy up to the computer for our annual mix of holiday music, featuring fresh takes on old classics and a few new surprises. On this year's edition, we've got the dulcet tones of Winston... a pug, singing "Up On The Housetop." Electro-pop mashup genius The Real Tuesday Weld re-imagines a classic from Count Baise. Also on the program: A singing saw does "Frosty The Snowman," Christmas wishes from John Waters and Stephen Colbert, The Old 97's, and more.

Throw Me The Statue: 'Lolita'

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST

Throw Me the Statue began as Scott Reitherman's one-man act in Seattle, Wash., but has since grown into a solid five-piece band that specializes in electro-pop playfulness. Moonbeams, the debut album from the group, is a collection of catchy, upbeat indie pop with enough experimental twists and turns to keep it interesting.

The Top 11 Debut Albums Of 2008

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:06:00 EST

Not to be outdone by its fellow Top 10 listmakers, KEXP presents its Top 11 debut albums of the year. Seattle's Fleet Foxes headlines a deep class of great rock, pop, disco, hip-hop, folk and electro-dance records.

Fol Chen: 'No Wedding Cake'

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:55:00 EST

Fol Chen is a Los Angeles-based electro-pop band recently signed to Asthmatic Kitty, a record label known for being co-founded by chamber pop artist Sufjan Stevens. The group's debut isn't set for release until February 2009, but Part I: John Shade, Your Fortune's Made has already garnered online buzz with the first single, "Cable TV." The wildly infectious dance tune begins with a dash of sitar before digital blips and drum machine hand claps jump in, with singer Melissa Thorne's smooth vocals.

Faded Paper Figures: 'North By North'

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:46:00 EST

Southern California-based Faded Paper Figures wears its inspirations on its sleeve. On its MySpace page, bands such as The Postal Service and Stars are listed as major influences Â� a fact that's easy to hear on the electro-pop trio's debut, Dynamo. It features intriguing lyrics, the occasional duet, and plenty of drum machines and programmed keyboards.

Chairlift: 'Bruises'

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:28:00 EST

Brooklyn-based electro-pop trio Chairlift may not seem familiar to you at first, but no doubt you've heard its ridiculously catchy single, "Bruises," on a colorful iPod Nano commercial. It's the perfect song for the ad: between its boy/girl duet, keyboard swells, drum machine beats and sweetly innocent lyrics, it's pretty colorful and bright itself. It's also one of the highlights of Chairlift's debut album, Does You Inspire You.

Kyle Andrews: 'Sushi'

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:25:00 EST

Real Blasty, the sophomore full-length release from Chicago-born Kyle Andrews, is an upbeat album for sad people who just want to dance. A lesser artist could get weighed down by the broody lyrics covering unrequited love, insecurities and general enui. But Andrews pulls it off by pairing his angst with bright electro-pop rhythms and irresistible hooks.

Benji Hughes: 'Waiting For An Invitation'

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:42:00 EDT

Predictable music is usually the most forgettable. Fortunately for electro-funk artist Benji Hughes, his debut double CD, A Love Extreme, struts with enough ear candy and lyrical surprises to make it one of the year's most memorable releases.

The Ting Tings: Sassy Electro-Pop

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:15:00 EDT

The Ting Tings' debut album, We Started Nothing, has propelled the British duo to worldwide fame on the strength of some of the catchiest pop songs in recent memory. The British duo layers together synths, powerful drum beats and catchy melodies in a session from WXPN.

Brad Laner: "Out Cold"

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:41:00 EDT

On his debut solo release, Neighbor Singing, Brad Laner mixes lush harmonies with gentle melodies and a subtle but densely layered pastiche of electronics. Based in Granada Hills, Calif., Laner's music could be called electro-psychedelic-folk. But he likes to keep listeners guessing as each track morphs seamlessly into new forms, taking unexpected sonic directions that don't fit neatly into any standard category. Laner's is a blissful world rooted as much in '60s psychedelia as in 21st century pop.

Azeda Booth: 'Big Fists'

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:04:00 EDT

The sounds of Azeda Booth are full and lush, exploratory and eclectic, and perfect for listening on headphones. In Flesh Tones, the Canadian band's first full-length album, is a beautiful foray into dreamy, hypnotic electro-rock, full of vast atmospheric soundscapes and introverted laptop music.

The Helio Sequence: Less Can Be More

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:04:00 EDT

Self-produced by The Helio Sequence, Keep Your Eyes Ahead attests to a four-year maturation. With a seamless track sequence, the band creates a euphoric mixture of Dylan-inspired indie-rock and electro power-ballads. It's a surreal dream of musical experimentation that proves that less can be more.

Isol / Zypce: 'Mi Formula Para Llorar'

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:38:00 EDT

Argentina probably isn't the first place you think of for groundbreaking electro-pop music, but for the past several years it's been turning out a number of stunning recordings from some of the genre's most inventive artists. The brother-sister duo Isol and Zypce (that's ee-SOLE and ZIP-see) is about to release one of the year's more curious CDs: a spectacular headphone album, with a richly layered world of blips and clicks, called Sima.

King of Spain: 'Mold Eats Paper'

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:56:00 EDT

King of Spain is the experimental music project of Tampa, FL multi-instrumentalist Matt Slate. His debut album, Entropy is an artful collection of intricately crafted electro-folk songs, built with pulsating guitars, strange ambient sounds and looped vocal parts that showcase Slate's distinctively raspy voice. It's a refreshingly rich and unpredictable mix drenched in reverb and spacious effects. Slate plays all the instruments and wrote and recorded the album at his home.

Dr. Dog Exclusive, Adem, Ratatat, More

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:58:00 EDT

The new album from Philadelphia's psych-rock group Dr. Dog won't be out until the end of July, but we've got an exclusive preview. Hear the song "The Old Days" from their new CD, Fate. Plus, gentle new folk from Adem, San Francisco singer-songwriter Thao Ngueyn, Deerhunter frontman Bradfor Cox's Atlas Sound project, electro-rock duo Ratatat and songs of accidents and emergencies from Spiritualized.

Hot Chip: Electro-Pop 'Made in the Dark'

Thu, 22 May 2008 13:46:00 EDT

On the group's third album, Made in the Dark, Hot Chip adds distortion to the mix. Exploding with background synths, soul influences, and Alexis Taylor's airy vocals, the band moves into ballad territory more than before. Hear an interview and performance from WXPN.

The Ting Tings Find Fame Through MySpace

Mon, 19 May 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The English electro-pop duo had recorded three songs, and posted two on their MySpace page. But by their fourth show they were playing host to the entire U.K. music press — quite literally from their own living room.

The Governess: 'Level One'

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:49:00 EDT

The Governess is an electro-pop and rock duo from Porstmouth, NH featuring the gorgeous voice of singer Nicole Speidel, with Nathaniel Raymond on guitars and computer wizardry. The two describe their music as "underwater, seaside, airborne, wanderlust sounds." When The Governess set out to write and record an entire album in February, their only game plan was to "have some fun, make some sounds, eat girl scout cookies and instant soup and hope some music resulted from the process."

Eri Chan: "KitsuneBi"

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:03:00 EDT

Eri Chan lives in Kyushu in southern Japan where she makes delicious sound collages using samples, simple synth lines and electro-pop beats inspired by traditional Asian culture. Eri Chan is also the performance name for Lizzie Moore, a 24 year-old American ex-pat who moved to Japan to teach English and, in her spare time, make music. She assumed the name Eri after her students and friends adopted it as a nickname for her. Moore describes her new album, Fox Fire, as an exploration of "the thoughts of a girl living in japan, fascinated by folklore and possessed by a fox."

New Drugs: 'Atlas in Mexico'

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:56:00 EDT

New Drugs is the musical project of Aaron Wilson, an electronic solo artists based in Seattle, Wash. He's been playing in bands and making home recordings for about 12 years, using basic synthesizers, drum machines, loops and guitars. New Drugs' album for the RPM Challenge is Aquarium, featuring a tight collection of experimental, electro-pop songs.

Live Tonight: Stars, New Buffalo in Concert

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 15:52:00 EDT

The Canadian rock band Stars and Australia's electro-folk group New Buffalo offer a night of intimate, stylish pop in a full concert webcast live on NPR.org tonight (Oct. 20). Hear both performances from Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club online, beginning at approximately 7:45 p.m. ET.

The Umbrella Sequence: 'Urban Lull'

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 11:36:00 EDT

In a crowded field of electro-pop artists, The Umbrella Sequence stands out as a fresh, dynamic voice. Citing the Nintendo Wii as a musical influence, the Minneapolis, Minn. group makes synth-drizzled, melodic rock with heavily processed beats that crackle with an addictive, blissful energy.

Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Shock Therapy

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:36:00 EDT

Nearly 100 thousand Americans sign up for electro-shock therapy every year to treat severe depression. Many patients call it life-saving, yet scientists still struggle to explain why it is effective. Critics say the procedure is barbaric and that doctors underplay the risk of post-therapy memory loss.

Live Tonight: Ben Gibbard on NPR.org

Thu, 10 May 2007 00:21:00 EDT

As frontman for the Seattle rock band Death Cab for Cutie, and part of the electro-pop duo Postal Service, Ben Gibbard has won over legions of fans for his literate, bittersweet songwriting. Now Gibbard is embarking on a month-long solo tour. Hear him live on NPR.org in a full concert tonight.

Ceu: From Brazil with Love

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:51:00 EDT

Ceu ranks among the most innovative Brazilian artists to emerge in America in years, blending samba, jazz, soul, R&B and electro-pop into a uniquely appealing whole. Her songs range from soulful dub-funk to jazzy, horn-led numbers to sweetly tuneful reggae.