K-X-P

Helsinki, Finland's Timo Kaukolampi worked with straight-shooting knob twiddlers Op:l Bastards before hooking up with Norwegian pop sensation Annie. Kaukolampi's new band, K-X-P, proves that pop's carefree sheen has been hugely influential on modern day electronic music and vice versa. Much like "Hallogallo," the first track on Neu!'s trailblazing debut, K-X-P's "Elephant Man" locks onto a steady groove that throbs, breathes and becomes exceedingly hypnotic almost before the listener can digest it. "Labyrinth," despite its anxious effects and gloomy vocals, manages to come off as a pop song at heart, while "Pockets" promptly stakes its claim as the black sheep of the album, featuring a bombastic melody, dynamic chorus and an off-the-hook vocal performance that falls somewhere in between John Lydon's growl and Gene Ween's tongue-in-cheekiness. With an Optimo remix of "18 Hours (of Love)" already released and early positive reviews from big name bloggers, K-X-P have the hype machine running for them. Luckily, K-X-P has the chops to keep it running.