Artist description The result of this happy collision of tastes and talents is the dozen songs (plus one remix) that make up Venus Hum's self-titled debut. From the bold, clattering melodic assault of "Sonic Boom" to the 80s-style dance floor allure of "Montana" to the Bjork-like throb of "Run Annie Run," they offerup a sound plump with unstoppable grooves and hooks. They can soft pedal it, too. The hypnotically precise "Illumine" is like a soundtrack for a PaulKlee painting, while the lilting bounce and folkish simplicity of "Wordless May" make it sound like a hands down, instant classic. Throughout the disc, Miracle and Kubin's expertly programmed Moogs, A.R.P.'s and theiroscillating brethren bleep and bloop in sympathy with Strean's dreamy voice, creating anintricate balm that both soothes and stirs.

Music Style Electronic Pop

Musical Influences Kraftwerk, Burt Bacharach, Orbital, Brian Eno

Similar Artists Bjork, Depeche Mode, Garbage, Beth Orton, Lamb, Cardigans

Artist History Like so many of the best pop bands, Venus Hum began in that time-honored cocoon of creativity, the basement."A lot of it started out of conversations we'd have," says Tony Miracle, owner of the basement that doubles as Chessington Synth Labs and Venus Hum Central. "There's an energy and passion that we all felt. We'd stay up late talking about these things, we'd write songs and we'd say, 'Instead of whining about the music business and what we can and can't do, why don't we just do the things we want?' There was always this vision about 'Let's make something happen.'"And something wonderful did happen. The very first time Annette Strean let her lush, skylark voice fly over the meticulously designed electronic soundscapes fashioned by Miracle and Kip Kubin, the three traded excited, telepathic glances that said, 'Wow, this feels like a band.' This was early 1999. Within a few months, the trio had a name (taken from a rare, thankfully benign medical condition Miracle has: "I can hear the pulsefrom my jugular vein in my ear"), a handful of originals and was playing thefirst of the gigs that have become eagerly anticipated events in their hometown. In performance, they are mesmerizing. Miracle and Kubin intently man their racks of keyboards, patch bays and power books, while at the front of the stage Strean, with a smile borrowed from Doris Day in Pillow Talk, paces andlets her flexible voice float up and down dizzy staircases of melody. Behindthe group, on a large screen, a fast-changing video collage of geometric shapes, colors and computer-generated images pulsate in time with the music.Overall, it's a sumptuous feast for the senses.

Group Members Annette Strean, Kip Cubin, Tony Miracle

Albums Venus Hum, The Venus Hum EP

Location Nashville, TN - USA

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