The indie-pop duo Blonds is not to be confused with the Brooklyn-via-Oberlin electronic duo Blondes, though, truth be told, the nominal similarity is what led me to open the email they sent. West Palm, Florida's Blonds are about to self-release their debut EP Dark Roots, and it will eventually make its way onto many a sync-agent/label A&R person's desk: its strongest tracks are practically custom-tailored to fit the mold of the throwback hooky, boy/girl rom-com pop spread by Tennis, and the bittersweet glockenspieled escapism of Cults. (Like those bands' principals, and perhaps not entirely coincidentally, Blonds are dating.) "Kites" lopes with a slow gait and samples of strings and makes its honeyed swing a cautious celebration of being "without a string"; "Treasure Coast" is more rousing and expansive in sound, wistful and sanguine in lyric ("so long, farewell, goodbye" and "anywhere, everything," ascending repeatedly). This is decidedly the music of young people in love, exploring adulthood, and thus to be sidestepped by anyone who isn't interested in such things and downloaded by anyone who is/interested in new songs to place in the movies.
Blonds - "Kite"
Blonds - "Treasure Coast"
Both tracks appear on Blonds forthcoming, self-released debut EP Dark Roots. It'll be available as a free download on their Bandcamp. It's a new project; for now, keep up at @BlondsTheBand.
We asked them to send over the tracklist to a mixtape of their favorite five songs by other artists, to serve as the ideal primer to Blonds. That's here:
01 Bessie Smith - "Graveyard Dream Blues"
02 Gorillaz - "Tomorrow Comes Today"
03 Serge Gainsbourg - "Bonnie & Clyde"
04 Penny & The Quarters - "You And Me"
05 The Cinematic Orchestra - "All Things To All Men"
