Read on for my exclusive interview with Rob Diament from U.K. electro-pop band, Temposhark!

First, I’d like to give the band the opportunity to describe their music. In three words or less.

Like Temposhark hopefully!

Alright. But seriously…WHAT TOOK YOU GUYS SO LONG TO RELEASE THIS?! It’s wonderfully brilliant!!

It’s been a gradual evolution with Temposhark. Luke was studying in Brighton and I’d gone there for a weekend party with some other friends and we all stayed at his student halls. I’d known him a bit since I was 12 years old, but not really that well. At that party, we found out we had similar tastes in music. He’d been experimenting on some interesting films and music with Tasha Kahn, (who later became the wonderful Bat For Lashes).

I remember they were doing an art project in the big Brighton church. I heard Luke’s beats and was really drawn to them. They were kind of crunchy like Bjork’s Homogenic album. I’d been writing for months with a big producer in London called Youth (from Killing Joke) and I really liked the idea of trying out the kind of songs I’d written with Youth over the sounds that Luke was playing with. So we started to do lots of stuff in Brighton, some live music performances that included our first few embryonic Temposhark songs. But it wasn’t a major focus for either of us at that time, just a bit of fun.

It was only later in 2004, when we both moved to London, that we actually started to really focus on the band. When we released our first EP we only had about 6 songs so it wasn’t like most bands when you release your first single in order to promote your album. We hadn’t actually made an album yet!

I set up my own tiny record label called Paper and Glue and we began to just put out CDs and vinyl with the student loans we’d got from studying. Luke spent most of his on computer stuff or keyboards and I spent mine on making up vinyl and CDs. It felt like a real adventure at the time, and there was a real buzz in the London club scene. We used to go out clubbing most nights of the week and it was around the time that Electroklash was getting popular. I saw some wicked club shows by people like Gonzales, Peaches, Taylor Savvy and later Fischerspooner came along. It was such a breath of fresh air seeing their shows, the rawness, the attitude, their sense of fun, it was all really inspiring. Temposhark got invited to play a lot of gigs around that time, at places like Kashpoint, Electrogogo, Nag Nag Nag… it was real DIY ethos, you just got up and performed. There wasn’t much thought put into it, it was just fun.

The other thing about that scene at the time was the emphasis wasn’t always on the music. A lot of the London bands performing were more about the costumes or the make up or the dancing. Whilst I really loved all that side of it, when it actually came to my own music, I wanted it to be about the songs first and foremost. I’m fundamentally a songwriter and my dream was always to make an album. I was also into really emotional music like Frou Frou and Mandalay and Bjork.

The kind of acts who had meaning in both their soundworlds and lyrics. So that was something both Luke and I were striving for in making the actual album. We wanted it to showcase all of our influences, from our early days in the London clubs to the more chilled out, thoughtful music we’d been listening to. Our love of that kind of music led us to Guy Sigsworth and Sean McGhee who we were so privileged to have worked with on the eventual album. Once we’d made the record, we also go a band together with real drums and bass, and made all the keyboards and noises live. It was really important for us to grow in this way.

How does it feel to finally have your debut album materialize into an actual product?

Really, really amazing. I am very proud of it. It feels like we’ve achieved something. It’s cool to know its about to be available everywhere, especially over in the USA and Canada. I feel a real closeness with that part of the world and its exciting that we’ve now got a deal for those areas… it was always a dream of mine to put a record out there!

Your sound is incredibly raw and emotional. What musical artists would you say that you draw influence from?

I’d grown up listening to more emotional music. Storytellers like Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro, as well as overtly pop stuff like Prince, Madonna and David Bowie. So I guess I naturally combined all those influences. Words have always been really important to me too, I think songs are an amazing way of saying something powerful, it’s just so immediate and I’ve always loved the way music can reach loads of people in a way a poem can’t.

Are there any personal favorite tracks from the album, or tracks that you feel best symbolize the musical expression of Temposhark as a band?

I really like Winter’s Coming, Not that Big and Blame. Plus songs like Joy always make me smile.

Back in 2006, the band hosted a podcast series and interviewed Kate Havnevik during one of the episodes. How did you guys meet? I know you remixed her amazing track, “Unlike Me,” but can we expect any future collaborations with each other?

We met Kate at Guy Sigsworth’s studio one day. Regarding collaboration, possibly yes. We remixed a song for her already called ‘You Again’. Kate is really cool, a great writer and I’d like to write with her one day. She’s also a genuine and sweet person, its always lovely to be around her.

I’ve also always been in love with the Temposhark remix of M.I.A.’s “Pull Up The People.” Do you expect to do more remixes in the future for other artists in general?

Yes of course, but we’re quite picky over what we remix as it takes a lot of energy to remix someone’s song and I think there had to be a strong connection to their music and yours. I loved the M.I.A. remix we did and also the one for French singer Camille. She’s amazing.

Past releases have always had strong visuals for cover art, but never members of the band. What was the inspiration for The Invisible Line’s artwork?

We just felt it was finally time to put ourselves on the cover! We’re really proud of this record. We also felt like this was finally a statement of intent if you will. Like, ‘hello we’re here’. Love us or hate us, we’ve arrived. That’s why I’m looking straight out, it’s direct.

You’ve officially played live plenty of times in both the U.K. and the United States…Is there a difference in the fan reception from the countries? The energy and enthusiasm?

Yes there is actually. Both are good but very different. The USA crowds react to different songs and get really excited when Luke played his trumpet live for example. I also think the US want you to really go for it, put on a big show regardless of how big or small the venue. Whereas in the UK, in smaller venues I think people sometimes prefer their artists to be a bit more low key… The one thing that is exactly the same though is the enthusiasm from the fans of our music. Music really does unite people and I think even though we’ve all grown up in different places with different cultures, we’re actually all quite similar. I like the fact that music can show that we’re all the same, we all feel the same things…

I’ve always wondered…was Temposhark a randomly generated name, or is there a more specific meaning?

We knew we had to get a band name and couldn’t think of anything. Then one night I woke up in the middle of a dream and said quite firmly Temposhark. Just like that, I was certain it was the right name, it just felt right. We really liked the idea of music being a weapon, and Temposhark sounded strong and simple at the same time.

I am a huge fan of the works of both Guy Sigsworth and Imogen Heap. In fact, Imogen’s music eventually lead me to find Temposhark! What was it like collaborating with these two brilliant musicians?

Inspiring. They’re both such unique, kind and endlessly talented people. It’s great that more and more people are tuning into the Frou Frou album ‘Details’. It’s a classic record.

Finally, my favorite part of an interview: The spoilers and juicy tidbits. What’s next for the future of Temposhark?

Well the first album comes out last week of March. We should be coming back to tour in April or May. This is all just the beginning! Oh and I’m not sure anyone knows yet, but there’s definitely going to be a digital EP for Blame with remixes, plus there’s a non-album Bside called The River. It was one of the songs we wrote before making the album, and it was recorded in Luke’s bedroom studio. There’s something really cool about that track, that I just wanted it to be heard… I love it’s bass line and the lyrics are pretty angry, hopefully people will like it.

Lastly, anything to say to the fans?

Thank you to anyone who has come to our shows so far or listened to our music. The best thing about the Internet is that we’ve actually had a lot of contact with people who like our music, and that’s why I wanted to do this in the first place. It’s a way of sharing how I feel about the world and connecting with other people. It’s been really exciting so far and I’m looking forward to putting out more albums and touring more over the coming years! Come visit us at www.temposhark.com or www.myspace.com/temposhark.

Additionally, enjoy this exclusive track off of their upcoming album!

DL: Temposhark – Crime

Please be sure to pre-order Temposhark’s new album The Invisible Line at either Amazon UK, or through their official site.

Thanks again to Temposhark!

Róisín Murphy’s new single, You Know Me Better, is coming out soon, and what better to do than celebrate its release? OKAY, YOU CAUGHT ME. FINE. So I wasn’t a Róisín fan until just today. You there in the back, put down the pitchfork and allow me to explain myself.

I was really lukewarm about Ruby Blue, her debut in 2005, except for that “Night of the Dancing Flame” and “Ramalama (Bang Bang).” When I heard “Overpowered,” I felt like it was lightly disco-tinged Ruby Blue reject with a fading glimmer of promise. Then I heard “Let Me Know,” and I said “Well alright, she’s getting a little fancy here. Whatever. I fear change, and I’m too different to give in now.” Finally, I saw the photoshoot clip on PopJustice of her newest single, and I went, “…Oh, goddamn it. I give in.” How was I supposed to know she was going to get all “electro for the intellectuals” on me? In all seriousness, it’s really sublime what she’s done, so much better than I gave her credit for. I’m really excited to convert into a fan, mainly because she wears silly hats. Also, she has accented letters in her name like Björk, making me look very cultured. Now expect a full album review later on this week. Now watch a live performance of her upcoming single, “You Know Me Better.” It’s a shame, really. The costume designer simply gave her NO shoulders.

Michael, I apologize for not listening. Forgive me.
And you, what do you think?

In an interview with Pitchfork, Björk talks about the next single from Volta, “Dull Flame of Desire,” a soft duet with Antony of Antony and The Johnsons. It’s one of the nicer tracks on the album…very nice and lovely. The video is set to be produced shortly. And like any other Björk production, the construction of the project will be something completely different and interesting:

When we did the competition for “Innocence”, where all the fans sent in videos, they sent in like 400 videos. There were some that I thought were amazing, made by really talented visual people who had maybe never done this before, but they didn’t totally fit with the mood of “Innocence”. So I contacted them and asked them if they would work together and do ["Dull Flame of Desire"]. In that song, we repeat the same verse over and over again. So I thought it would be interesting to have one verse presented by one director, and then the second by another director, and then the third by another. I had never done that before, and it was quite exciting.

We recorded our part in front of a green screen, and sent it by email to the directors, one in Japan, one in Spain, and one in France. They’re collaborating via email. I don’t know how long it will take. I was being pressured by my record company [to make videos] for the more up-tempo songs, but I have great love for “Dull Flame of Desire”, and it was very emotionally special for me to make that with Antony. I thought this would be a good way of doing it.

I’m excited to see what this kind of collaboration brings forth! Click the video above to hear the single.

Be sure to buy Björk’s album, Voltaat Amazon.

And you, what do you think?

Today is a Sunday. Hate em. I hate Sundays with a passion. But the weird thing about Sundays is that I always fall into a trend of researching and discovering new artists to enjoy for the remainder of the week. But I also lie around lazily for hours at a time in my underwear, as I am demonstrating for you all now.

Brazilian synth rock/pop group, CSS, is not a band I would jump to consider at first glance. I presumed them to be more rock, less electro. But, like 79% of the time, I was completely and utterly mistaken. The band is a rich source of eclectic and unpredictable entertainment. According to the all-knowing Wikipedia, their name comes from an alleged quote by Beyonce in Portuguese, proclaiming that she was tired of being sexy. But I know it cannot be true, because B can never stop being too sexy. Anyway. You can tell that they are what they say they are: a bunch of friends, making music and having good times. And yes, okay, I’ll admit I only began to research them seriously upon seeing a picture of them at the Spice Girls concert. Pop culture and celebrity lifestyle are some of the most common themes of their work. And Myspace posts.

Oh, and P.S.: You already know them. They do the iPod Touch song “Music Is My Hot Hot Sex,” with all the lyrics about music being your relative, dating music, and other things that I certainly would disapprove of doing to music.

After digging around, I noticed a dozen or so remixes, which are all really fantastic, and only add to the synth-crunch beats. Most notably, the Simian Mobile Disco remix, which is a frantic, disjointed utopia. As a side note: Watch for Simian Mobile Disco. They’re rapidly gaining prominence through remixes such as Björk’s Innocence and Ladytron’s International Dateline. Strangely, I thought to myself: Say now, eighties-obsessed Calvin Harris should be responsible for mixing this. One second later, I found that he indeed did!! It’s nice and retro, and reminds me a LOT of the works of Cut Copy. Some album tracks also appear below, including the song “Computer Heat” from their debut album’s first release. And continuing to prove my soon-to-be patented hypothesis that all songs containing the phrase “La La” are both addictive and uncontrollably catchy, “Alala,” follows suit. Warning: Video will cause fear.

Anyway, lots of fun to be had. Check out some good ol’ indielectro-pop!

DL: CSS – Computer Heat
DL: CSS – Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above (Simian Mobile Disco Remix)
DL: CSS – Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above (Calvin Harris Remix)
DL: CSS – Alala

And you, what do you think?

As promised, I present my picks for the top tunes that did a fair share of tickling my fancy throughout 2007. As a result, my fancy is currently in the process of pressing charges. This list involved a lot of thinking, which is usually against my better judgment. But in the meantime, I shall present the culprits (in no particular order, but just assume any and all Britney entries to be considered first):

Flavor of Life – Utada Hikaru – Don’t be fooled by the CD art. This song involves neither pastel colors, nor rice balls, NOR sheep (a bit disappointed by the latter exlusion). Nay, Flavor of Life was a major tickler during the first quarter of 2007. Floating on top of simple piano chord progressions and string accompaniment, Utada’s breathless vocals made the song both haunting and beautiful.

Gimme More – Britney Spears
I can’t actually describe what happened when I heard the song for the first time, besides a lot of jumping, followed by complete stillness to listen closely, followed by giddy hand clapping, again by intense silence, and then manic laughter. No need to introduce this one. It’s not her best, but it’s damn good. Even the haters couldn’t shake the impossibly catchy chorus. If only she was aware. Come back BB.

. The One – Kylie Minogue
Sometimes I wonder if Kylie wrote this little ditty especially for me. I wrote about this song a few entries ago. It’s timeless, iconic, and especially hypnotizing.

Cry For You – September / I Won’t Be Crying – Infernal
During the lonely winter months of the first quarter, music was a bit dire. By now I’ve learned, there’s only one multi-vitamin supplement jam packed with cheap thrills to fill the void of talent: Euro-Dance! Fun, defiant nothings about getting over him and being the bigger man/lady. September’s entry is more heartfelt, but the vocals in Infernal are much more raw sounding. Equally distracting until the pop wheels began to churn once again.

BUT – Koda Kumi – Wait, why isn’t she lyrically gyrating and riffing nonsensically?? I don’t know, but I think I like it…a LOT. It’s as if she’s trying to make a new sound, instead of regurgitating her songs over and over. Dark, broken electronic beats and vocal aerobics. Now this is the kind of Kumi I want.

Umbrella – Rihanna
We’re tired of it. Accept its brilliance, nothing else to see here.

Declare Independence-Björk
Volta was not good. At least, not to me. Too much ballad, and the ballads were too monotonous. It sounds very harsh and judgmental, but Björk has produced “Joga” and “Hidden Place” for goodness sake. She isn’t exactly dull. This one rocked the socks off of the album, though. Using a new instrument called the ReacTable, Björk elicited electric noises never before used in such an interesting way. Her inherently guttural voice is wonderfully excitable throughout the song. Watch a live performance of this to understand how cool the process actually is.

Bamboo Banga – M.I.A.
I’ll admit. I don’t love Kala as much as everyone else does. I myself am an Arular advocate. But I do happen to enjoy many of the tracks off of her second album. Most notably (XR-2 is perfect, but I heard earlier versions for almost a year already), Bamboo Banga. When I heard the song, I was ecstatic to think that the album would build off of this more jungle-esque electro. However, it just doesn’t flow for me like Arular did.

Foundations – Kate Nash
Didn’t want to like it. Didn’t want to like anything by someone who shared similarities to Lily Allen, but lo and behold, I was addicted. It’s like a much more lemon tart-filled version of Lily, with more tongue-biting and less egotism. The spoken bits are genius, and bonus points have been added for the opportunity to sing with a British accent. A pissed off British accent, no less.

Sober – Kelly Clarkson
If only the album could live up to its impossible expectations, this song would have received so much more deserved attention. It truly is the rawest experience on the album, and one that was sorely misrepresented in the public atmosphere. Though at the same time, it would have never performed on radio. The song is by far the most haunting and riveting song of the year. By the end, the listener’s ears are practically pleading for that oh-so-necessary shouting that only Kelly could provide. But as a favor: Please stop straining your voice so much on every other song Kelly. Save it for the best moments, such as the finale of this very song. Thank you. I love you. Why don’t you call?

True Believer – Dragonette
I didn’t get it at first. But then I kept listening. I absolutely love the carousel effect of the chorus, dizzyingly obnoxious and catchy at the same time. The track picks up and slows down, but it was a great tune to relax with during the last of the summer.

Lips Are Unhappy – Lucky Soul
Around the same time as Dragonette’s release, I discovered Lucky Soul. The throwback -band’s album contains many care-free songs resembling great pop music from the 1960′s. This pleading number, though short, is one of my favorites. The intro is pretty much representative of who they are as a group: a simple tambourine intro followed by the ever-increasing drum lead-in, leading up to the ultra-delicate vocals of lead singer Ali Howard. The lyrics are unapologetically dated. However, the shake-shimmy breakdown after the two minute mark is particuarly impossible to resist.

State of Grace – Britney Spears
Without a doubt the injustice of the year, Britney’s true soul-searching and almost-adult mid-tempo love croon is without a doubt one of her best works. Yet it was left of the album in order to keep the Donna Summer vibe afloat. The song is beautiful and sincere. The background sound is somewhat Bohemian. VERY Ray of Light Madonna. I’m thinking “Frozen”-ish. And she uses words that are way beyond her vocabulary like “transient” (not a stretch, but work with me). You have to hear it. Such a shame that the song was not released. It’s not B-Side material, so I fear this track may never see the light of day. And P.S. I would add nearly all of the Blackout tracks and outtakes to the list, from the blip-filled “Radar” to the over-sexualized “Pull It,” but that would be too expected.

Bleeding Love – Leona Lewis
I don’t particularly find her interesting, nor did I bother to catch her debut album, but I could not ignore the massive success of her first single. Well, except for the United States. But seriously, it was so big that she’s even being released here. That’s hard to do nowadays. It’s a page out of the Mariah hand book, but the craft is immaculate. I know Leona’s voice is near perfect…if only she’d do something unexpected.

Call The Shots – Girls Aloud
I’ve spoken about this track already as well. Haunting, convincing, and heartfelt. It’s nice and wintery, yet I see purple and pink when the song plays. Which may be the signs of looming epileptic episodes. Just saying.

And you, what do you think?