Cougar Microbes

David E Sugar’s output sounds a little like a fusion of Hot Chip and Calvin Harris combined with some tongue-in-cheek sleaze and some 70s inspired funk; but before you hold this against him, the tracks are actually consistently good.

As well as having two tracks featured on the legendary Kitsuné compilations he has also been touring hard sharing stages with the likes of  Deadmau5, Hadouken and Digitalism. We’re also told he was a pioneer of “Chip-Tune” (synth sounds derived from a video game or console sound chip) but thankfully his synth sounds are more Crystal Castles than Commodore 64.

Irrespective of his past and moving on to his present this latest indie- electro- pop sound works and it will make you want to dance and at the very least get your feet tapping. His vocal style has an almost lassiez-faire attitude to reminiscent of Jarvis Cocker and he combines it with some bitter lemon spitter lyrics which wouldn’t be out of place on a Kate Nash single.

He’s certainly gaining praise from mainstream names such as Kissy Sellout and Jesse Rose and his signing to Cougar faves Sunday Best should help catapult him into the spotlight. He also managed to draw and an impressive crowd at Bestival’s Arcadia stage earlier this month and is likely to do the same on tour with Fenech-Soler later this month. My advice to you? Keep an eye on the boy.

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Post by the workaholic Ruby

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TRACKS:

David E Sugar – [Disco Of Doom Remix]

23-year- old Brighton-born artist Teej has combined Deadmau5 sounding dance melodies, vintage synths and repetitive bass lines to produce a new wave of Synthtronica.

His debut EP ‘I Got Electrocuted‘ was written post -emergency room after he, err… got electrocuted trying to fix his faltering keyboard. The very literally-named track had me worried his music would be similarly straightforward but with scratchy guitar pieces and gloomy bass lines, the track’s dense texture was anything but linear. At only 1:54 of airplay, however, the track builds but doesn’t quite reach a crescendo.

In contrast ‘Heart Timing‘ is more complete. Its glistening keyboard melodies are strongly glued together by a heart beat bass line that pulses through the track. The resulting sound is like a primitive version of Sigur Rós with a dash of depression from the Antlers’ Hospice.

Despite tracks like ‘Flying Deep‘, Teej‘s ode to snowboarding, feeling largely unfinished there is something exciting here and with some more craftwork and a live gig under his belt, he may provide a few more surprises yet.

The debut EP ‘I Got Electrocuted‘ is out now on Make Mine

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Post by the proficient Ruby

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TRACKS:

Teej – I Got Electrocuted