Listen to Brooklyn-based Selebrities for a few minutes and you could be forgiven for thinking you were revisiting the new wave sound of the late seventies but in fact, it’s a current form of synth-pop they’re serving which confusingly takes us back to the future.
The lead track ‘Secret Garden‘ has a subtle instrumental backdrop that showcases Maria Usbecks‘ dry vocals beautifully. Her style is purposefully non-committal giving an air of jaded romanticism akin to a sultrier gothic version of Ladyhawke.
In contrast ‘Time‘ takes a more melancholic route with hopeful guitar pieces and pace-driving percussion reminiscent of Whitest Boy Alive. The constant drive from the synthetic drums seems to purposefully remove any dwell time on the song and this is mirrored by Usebecks’ evasive and repetitive lyrics.
It’s as if the band have slapped a giant “I don’t want to talk about it” slogan across the track which captures a feeling that every listener can identify with. ‘The Moonlight‘ and ‘Audition‘ seem simpler in their message and both bathe in a retro melting pot of deluded disco and eerie synth that makes them the more fashiony tracks of the EP.
Selebrities are mastering the ever-so-seductive withholding dance, just giving us a snippet of their sound with their EP ‘Ladies Man Effect’. They’re also playing the good old-fashioned game of “treat ’em mean to keep ’em keen” by holding out on an album release until later this year.
For now, they are teasing us with the debut ‘We’ve Been Foolish’ due to be released on Cascine at the end of November.
