Things We Like: Xeno & Oaklander

Deceptively simple, minimal, synthetic pop. Catchy melodies with dark undertones overlaid with dueling male/female vox. Distant, detached, haunting, enchanting, exotic, inviting, seductive – all of these things.

One thing that that keeps us coming back is the duality of moods that permeates nearly every track. Sweet and sour, dark and light, sleek and leaden sounds all add to the complexity and depth of the songs. They’re intoxicating, addictive, irresistible. It’s kind of like switching between sweet and savory treats – the contrasting flavors simply feed your appetite for more.

Fans of early electronic pop will find a lot to like. If you dig classics like Kraftwerk and Chris & Cosey or contemporaries like Solvent – or perhaps more accessible reference points like very early Depeche Mode, OMD, or Gary Numan – then this is your sweet spot.

Prints: Peering Forward, Flashing Back

I’m looking forward to a new year of new work. The ideas keep pouring out and I can’t wait to get back out to the workshop and begin again. While I wait out the frosty winter months and fight off cabin fever by sketching (and by a few brisk hikes), the down time will offer some time to reflect, catalog and post 2016 work, clean out the studio and perhaps tweak the process a bit. All is not lost.

In the meantime, here’s a peek at our last holiday greeting. This was meant to be a three-color print but ballooned out to five or six color variations once we got into it. Some things don’t turn out the way you expect and it was too much fun trying out some different color combinations on the fly.

Here’s to fresh starts, new chapters, leaves turned and the glorious blank white page that awaits.