Tag: Sofi Tukker

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

If you’ve been frequenting this site for some time, you’d know that over the past 18-24 months or so, New York-based electro pop duo Sofi Tukker have become blogosphere darlings, as well as JOVM mainstay artists. And over the course of that time, the electro pop duo comprised of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern have developed a national profile for crafting accessible, pop-leaning world music, meant to reach as wide of an audience as humanly possible. 

The duo’s released much-anticipated debut EP Soft Animals was released last week and several singles off the EP have been written about here and elsewhere; in fact, if you had stumbled across this site towards the end of last month, you may have seen a post on “Awoo” is a mischievous collaboration with vocalist Betta Lemme that pairs propulsive and tribal drum samples with samba-styled keys. Lemme and Hawley-Weld’s contribute sultry vocals and gleeful, child-like shouting — as though they were losing their minds to the song in the club. The EP’s latest single “Moon Tattoo” is a breezy song that possesses elements of classic house music and tribal house in a slow-burning and sensual song that also sounds as though it owes a debt to Quiet Storm-era R&B while playfully hinting at salsa.

Sofi Tukker is embarking on a lengthy series of tour dates — some opening for M83 and a number of headlining shows, including a hometown set at Baby’s All Right  at the end of July. Catch them at a music venue near you.

Tour Dates:

Supporting M83*

July 15 – Salacgriva, Latvia @ Positivus Festival (TICKETS)

July 17 – One Love Festival Istanbul (TICKETS)

July 20 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre (w/ Chairlift) (TICKETS)*

July 21 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion (w/ Chairlift) (TICKETS)

July 25 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant (TICKETS)*

July 27 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Stir Cove (TICKETS)*

July 28 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre* (SOLD OUT)

July 30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right (TICKETS)

August 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Popscene at Rickshaw Stop (TICKETS)

August 20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Pershing Square (w/ Todd Rundgren) (FREE SHOW)

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

Over the past 18-24 months or so, New York-based electro pop duo Sofi Tukker have become blogosphere darlings while becoming JOVM mainstay artists. Comprised of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, the duo can trace their origins to when the duo were students at Brown University . Meeting and a local art galley, the duo began writing music around their shared desire of crafting accessible, pop-leaning world music that could reach a wide audience. And much like a number of artists across the country, the duo upon their graduation relocated to New York, where over the next year they began working on material — including the material that would wind up comprising their soon-to-be released EP Soft Animals, which is slated for a July 8 release. 

Earlier this month, I wrote about “Deja Vu Affrair,” a single that drew from 80s s New Order and house music as angular guitar chords played through gentle washes of reverb and delay are paired with four-on-the-floor drum programming, cascading layers of wobbling synths and Hawley-Weld’s sensual cooing. The EP’s latest single “Awoo” is a mischievous collaboration with vocalist Betta Lemme that pairs propulsive and tribal drum samples with samba-styled keys. Lemme and Hawley-Weld’s contribute sultry vocals and gleeful, child-like shouting — as though they were losing their minds to the song in the club.

Sofi Tukker is embarking on a lengthy series of tour dates — some opening for M83 and a number of headlining shows, including a hometown set at Baby’s All Right  at the end of July. Catch them at a music venue near you.

Tour Dates:

Supporting M83*

July 1 – London, UK @ British Summer Time @ Hyde Park (w/ Massive Attack) (TICKETS)

July 1 – London, UK @ White Heat at The Lexington (TICKETS)

July 2 – PITCH Festival Amsterdam (TICKETS)

July 6 – Cesme, Turkey @ Burn Electronica Festival (TICKETS)

July 7 – Milan, Italy @ Festival Moderno (w/ Grimes & Blood Orange) (TICKETS)

July 9 – Zamardi, Hungary @ Balaton Sound Festival (TICKETS)

July 15 – Salacgriva, Latvia @ Positivus Festival (TICKETS)

July 17 – One Love Festival Istanbul (TICKETS)

July 20 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre (w/ Chairlift) (TICKETS)*

July 21 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion (w/ Chairlift) (TICKETS)

July 25 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant (TICKETS)*

July 27 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Stir Cove (TICKETS)*

July 28 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre* (SOLD OUT)

July 30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right (TICKETS)

August 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Popscene at Rickshaw Stop (TICKETS)

August 20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Pershing Square (w/ Todd Rundgren) (FREE SHOW)

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

If you’ve been frequenting this website over the past year to about 18 months or so you’ve likely come across a post about New York-based electro pop duo Sofi Tukker. It’s been a few months since I’ve last written about them so for both new and old readers, I’ll try to briefly refresh you on their backstory: the duo can trace their origins to when Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, who were both attending Brown University  met at an art gallery. The duo quickly started writing music together, based around their desire of crafting accessible, pop-friendly world music that could reach a wider audience. Upon their graduation, they relocated to New York, where over the following year they worked on new material — including the material that would wind up comprising their forthcoming Soft Animals EP.

Back in March, I wrote about “Matadora,” an EP single  which paired flamenco style guitar with tweeter and woofer rattling beats, ambient electronics, warm blasts of horn, animal noises and Hawley-Weld’s sensual cooing in a song that nods at the breezy tropicalia of Brazil and South America and shimmering dance-floor ready house music. The EP’s latest single “Deja Vu Affair” sounds as though it draws from early and mid 80s New Order and house music as angular guitar chords played through gentle washes of reverb and delay are paired with four-on-the-floor drum programming, cascading layers of wobbling synths and Hawley-Weld’s sensual cooing in what may arguably one of the sexiest, most dance floor-ready songs they’ve released to date.

Sofi Tukker is embarking on a lengthy series of tour dates — some opening for M83 and a number of headlining shows, including a hometown set at Baby’s All Right  at the end of July. Catch them at a music venue near you.

Upcoming Tour Dates:
Supporting M83*
June 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Lyric (TICKETS)
June 9 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Velvet Jones (TICKETS)
June 11 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater w/ Cashmere Cat (TICKETS)*
June 12 – Richmond, VA @ The National (TICKETS)*
June 14 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore (TICKETS)*
June 15 – Norfolk, VA @ The Norva (TICKETS)*
July 2 – PITCH Festival Amsterdam
July 17 – One Love Festival Istanbul
July 20 – Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point w/ Chairlift (TICKETS)*
July 21 – Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion (TICKETS)*
July 25 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant (TICKETS)*
July 27 – Council Bluffs, IA @ Stir Cove (TICKETS)*
July 28 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre*
July 30 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right (TICKETS)
August 19 – San Francisco, CA @ Popscene at Rickshaw Stop (TICKETS) (on sale 6/3)

 

 

 

 

New Audio by William Ruben Helms

February 2016’s JOVM Spotify playlist will likely continue the wild variety I’m so proud of but with a number of mainstay artists including tracks by Victoria + Jean, Anna Rose, Rene Lopez, Anika, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Gosh Pith, Marco Benevento, New Order, Boulevards, Mavis Staples, Sofi Tukker, Charles Bradley, Majid Jordan, La Sera, Pr0files, Atmosphere, We Are Temporary, Beacon, Elephant Stone, Caveman, Octo Octa and several others who you’ve become familiar with through this site. But you’ll also come across a couple of tracks from one of my favorite new artists of the year, Sophie and the Bom Boms, some classic blues from Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and George Thorogood, porto-metal and stoner rock and countless more. Check it out!

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

 

New York-based electro pop duo Sofi Tukker can trace their origins to when members Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, who were both attending Brown University  met at an art gallery. Hawley-Weld and Halpern quickly started writing music together, based around their desire of crafting accessible world music that could reach a wider audience. Upon the duo’s graduation, they relocated to New York, where over the following year the duo worked on the material that comprised their self-titled EP.

Last June, I wrote about “Drinkee,” the first single off the New York-based electro pop duo’s self-titled debut EP. The song paired Halpern’s breezy production consisting of looping, angular and distorted guitar chords, congos, swirling electronics, thick, syrupy synth chords, a pitched down and a looped vocal sample with Hawley-Weld’s vocals singing lyrics in Brazilian Portuguese that were inspired by Brazilian poet Chacal. Sonically, the song nodded at Brazilian samba, the angular funk of Talking Heads and Las Kellies.

“Matadora,” the latest single of the duo’s upcoming Soft Animals EP pairs flamenco style guitar with tweeter and woofer rattling beats, ambient electronics, warm blasts of horn, animal noises and Hawley-Weld’s sensual cooing in a song that nods at the breezy tropicalia of Brazil and South America and shimmering dance-floor ready house music. Recently, Medina remixed the track — and the remix pushes the song towards more straightforward house music territory as the looped flamenco sample is replaced with an additional layer of ambient electronics, twinkling keys and harder hitting beats while retaining Hawley-Weld’s sensual cooing.

Uncategorized by William Ruben Helms

Comprised of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, the New York-baesd duo Sofi Tukker met at an art galley while they were both attending Brown University and quickly began writing music, based around their desire of […]