Photo credit: Noah Abrams.
By Alliz Nicholas
- Signature Tracks: Holiday & This Head I Hold: snd.sc/W9zd1d
- Sounds like: retro-soul, Motown, falsetto-pop, indie
- Ear plugs: Yes
Watching Electric Guest was like attending a Motown revival mixed with 90s electronic pop. And yes, if you grew up in the 90s this is hard not to adore. Driving Motown pop sung in a mean falsetto, Electric Guest have a unique and contagious sound.
Overqualified musicians Jorma Taconne and Matthew Crompton met eight years ago and have been producing music in LA. Newer additions are brothers Todd and Tory Dahlhoff. Tory is an ex-Berklee bassist who also worked with Albert Hammond, Jr. from the Strokes. Their tight act is high energy with a well-mixed live balance. In full swing, Taconne can sing falsetto with the stamina of a Motown star and holds his stage presence like a white version of Andre 3000.
Performing songs from their debut 2012 album Mondo to a packed house, the set was a well-paced mix of refreshingly short songs. Album favorites “Amber” and “Holiday” proved soulful and lyrical and their diverse taste creates a stylish sound boutique. Their first album spent three weeks at #11 on Billboard and is growing internationally.
Behind closed doors the group is humble, down-to-earth, and loyal to their fans who they mingle with after the show. A group on the cusp of its prime, Electric Guest are touring the USA and performing at the coolest venues in Europe this fall. A perfectly timed winter tour for a summer lost, their nostalgically styled songs are food for the soul.
