Micayla Grace (Albert Hammond Jr., Bleached) and Jennifer Duardo first met in a dark alley in the Mission district of San Francisco and instantly knew that they shared a deep musical affection for many of the same artists and began writing songs together shortly thereafter. Normally a bassist, Grace picked up a Telecaster electric guitar for her recording sessions with Duardo, letting her bass instincts guide the way she handled the instrument. Her technique is less traditional and more experimental, giving her the room to explore and adapt this process to her own creative desires. Duardo took to her synths with equal tenacity, pairing otherworldly tones and melodies to Grace’s atypical guitar playing and persuasive vocals.
Eventually the pair was joined by drummer Jon Sortland (The Shins), who brought a sense of kinetic rhythm as he simultaneously played a live drum kit and synths. This blending of live instrumentation and synthetic arrangements created an unusual and hypnotic collision of sounds and production aesthetics. Adding to this wonderfully curious noise is the 6-string prowess of Cecilia Della Perruti (Gothic Tropic, Beck), whose ragged and sultry riffs add depth and nuance to a sound that’s already filled with elements of synth pop, electro, new wave and indie pop. This supergroup of musicians will release their debut EP, Roaming Hearts, on March 13 via Dowd Records
For the video to recent single, and title track, “Roaming Hearts,” the band mixes stop motion effects, video collages and overlaid images to fashion a video that acts an expressionist stream of consciousness. There’s no narrative, exactly, just a series of images tied perfectly to the music, building a subtle emotional release through these tangled moments. The song’s dancefloor aspirations produce something akin to an organic euphoria, with vivid synths circling around ethereal voices that slink in from the surrounding shadows. Evincing a sultry vibe, the song invites you to dance as the world rushes by in a blur of phosphorescent lights.
