1  	So Fine  	
2 	Chrome’s On It 	
3 	Devil’s Trident 	
4 	In Your Line 	
5 	Lights Go Down 	
6 	Can’t Stand It 	
7 	Michael 	
8 	Trilogy: Breath Of Life, Crimes And Killings, Threads And Knives 	
9 	Drugged

Telepathe is a band that, on first impression, appear too cool to possibly be any good. Their debut is produced by the venerable David Sitek, TV on the Radio sonic mastermind and one of New York’s current great authorities on all things cool. Sitek seems to have the Midas touch in bestowing projects with indie cred, giving Telepathe an almost criminal advantage in courting the skinny jean-sporting crowd. Months before its release, I found a worn-out, burned copy of the album at a Los Angeles art gallery, scratched beyond repair presumably from repeat listening. The Brooklyn girl duo’s preference for analog synths, the most fashionably retro-futuristic element of music imaginable, as well as their meticulously half-grungy/half-chic appearance, would elicit dread from any critic put in the position to evaluate the next “next big thing.” However, Telepathe transcend any hype, any preconceptions about whether they’re the “next big thing” or just look and talk like them, with an incredible debut album that transports listeners into a deliriously vibrant and colorful world of its own.

Dance Mother is musical pixie dust illuminated by a warm neon glow. There is a great sense of magic and wonder in Telepathe’s music, their chirping, fairy-like, multi-tracked vocals providing a feeling of childlike awe. The programming, originally mapped out on Logic and eventually translated to Sitek’s wide arsenal of analog machines, offsets the innocence of Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudais’ harmonies with menace and malice, no less colorful than their voices. Sitek’s production flourishes make every sonic nuance rich and spacious, giving the band a grandiose sound that doesn’t compromise any of its more claustrophobic moments. Opening track “So Fine” pulses and grinds with synthetic disco basslines and airy keyboard leads, while “In Your Line” features marching drums and an elastic vocal melody that are destined to put entire arenas into a trance. Telepathe have crafted a fine debut effort that, perhaps through the assistance of David Sitek, sounds like the work of much more accomplished artists. The only trouble now is surprising people all over again with their follow-up, proving once again that they possess just as much substance as style.

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