Dissonant power-electro-pop with distinctive and droning sub-bass under a melodic voice and rough synth provide a melancholic phase-shift in the norm of the underground. Bravo!
‘Physical Business’ will be released both on CD and digitally on March 9 but is already available for pre-order via Stonerpop’s Bandcamp.
About Stonerpop
Based in Northern Louisiana, Stonerpop is an electronic-synthpop duo, comprised of Jimmie Maneuva from Shreveport and Maudie Michelle, originally hailing from Idaho. Together they weave sounds as diverse as the cultures they represent. Maudie Michelle provides thought-provoking lyrics with her calming voice and quirky synth melodies. Her compositions interlock with Jimmie Manueva’s haunting backing vocals and cleverly woven instrumentation. The output ranges from a full-on and welcomed sonic assault to trance-inducing song mastery, establishing them as a vital new creative force to electronic music,
Their new ‘Physical Business’ album follows up their self-titled ‘Stonerpop’ EP in November 2016. Following their debut, Stonerpop came to be among five finalists nominated for Best Local Band in DeltaStyle Magazine’s Best of The Delta.
“Headglow first began with intentions of creating a club banger and we sat on the bouncy bass for awhile before vocal patterns and lyrics materialized. Around the same time, a really good friend, Johnnie, moved back to town with the intentions of rekindling an unfinished music project with us. A brilliant guitarist and songwriter, he struggled with mental illness and substance abuse. Even though those things caused us to stop writing together in the past, we decided to join up again (he seemed to be doing better at the time!),” explains Maudie Michelle.
@stonerpopmusic [rotatingtweets screen_name=’stonerpopmusic’]“It wasn’t long before he became irrationally critical of us, the “bar scene”, and himself as he began, once again, to spin out of control. As the unnecessary stress from Johnnie mounted, I made the decision to step down and just focus on my own project. Johnnie freaked out at the news. I held my ground, he was forced to find a new bassist, and I poured my feelings about the situation into ‘Headglow’. The song really hits me in the heart now because Johnnie took his own life in November 2017. Although he was unstable and hard to handle, he was like a brother to me. Some more songs on this EP contain lyrics alluding to him (on ‘Royalty’ and ‘Physical Business’ namely).”
Naturally constructed around synthesizers and keyboards, Stonerpop’s music weaves a unique web of their own, distinguishing them from other electronic acts. Applying a light melodic touch and layered texture, these melodies are often ghostly and compellingly play off sharper rhythms, slowly escalating in sonic range until the intensity peaks.
Stonerpop’s music is influenced by a range of artists, including Portishead, Garbage, Imogen Heap, Austra, Metric, Phantogram, U.N.K.L.E. and Massive Attack, as well as specific psychological influences stemming from the fact that the couple are married and that Maudie lost both of her brothers to suicide, as well as other friends.
“As a whole, ‘Physical Business’ is an existential exploration of life changes – primarily in human relationships. The experience of the loss of loved ones or redefinition of relationships has the most profound effect on people… so much that people can become lost in a split between paradigms where they have to decide how to continue. Our songs are these moments put under a microscope,” explains Jimmie Maneuva.
“Stonerpop weaves a sonic tapestry that is unique, memorable, aural bliss, and deserves many many repeats. This initial peek into their new 7-track offering is in full overdrive, extraordinary and invigorating. If electronic music had a Richter magnitude scale in terms of intensity and impact, this one would be near the top of the rating”
– Big Takeover Magazine“Something a little different and hard-hitting… addictive… it’s easy to press replay and go through the EP again”
– Hiapop“Some of the most memorable electro-pop in recent memory and doesn’t confine itself to a single approach”
– Vents Magazine“This duo isn’t riding the retro synth pop wave that has become ubiquitous over the last couple of years… it’s a bit funky, ethereal and a tad dark… pretty refreshing”
– Divide and Conquer“StonerPop makes an impressive impact… songwriting and evocative production that never settles for being merely solid… a spartan aesthetic”
– RazorFish
LINKS:
http://www.stonerpopculture.com
http://www.facebook.com/stonerpopculture
http://twitter.com/stonerpopmusic
http://stonerpop.bandcamp.com
http://www.instagram.com/stonerpopculture
http://soundcloud.com/stonerpop
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKeu2cMs2yYhURbo_kLm88w
http://open.spotify.com/artist/08phkI0RALNtE2v4xfuO9t
http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/stonerpop/1172112119
