One Track Mind

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For over a year, New York City duo The Golden Filter have slowly been making a name for themselves across the electronic music blogosphere. Beginning with “Solid Gold,” the band released a few digital singles, made some compilation and mixtape appearances (including on the ever-influential A-Trak’s Infinity +1), and did some remixing work for artists including Cut Copy and Little Boots. Not very long ago, I caught them performing as the openers for The Presets most recent North American tour, and while their sound has always been an alluring one, it has always seemed on the cusp of being great without ever quite making that full ascent. However, if “Hide Me” is any indication, that is destined to change with the April 26th release of Voluspa, their first full-length album being released by Brille (the U.K. label that brought us The Knife’s Silent Shout).

“Hide Me” represents the next level of maturation in The Golden Filter’s sound, striking a slightly less sinister tone than some of their earlier work but still sultry and incredibly danceable. It also embraces more of a synth-pop personality than their earlier, more contemporary leaning tracks–it would pair well with The Sound of Arrows’ latest or your choice of the Depeche Mode/Pet Shop Boys/Ultravox school of ’80s transcendent digital pop. Native Australian Penelope Trappes’ voice floats over the opening moments before the arpeggiated beat drops in like a hammer and launches the three and a half minutes which follow. Trappes has a natural command of a sexy, breathless delivery, while Stephen Hindman possesses an intuitive and thorough grasp of how to get the most from his sequencers and synths.

“Hide Me” is retro without feeling kitschy, easy to dance to without being mindless, and seductive without being heavy-handed. In short: The Golden Filter have provided the perfect start to your weekend.