In a test of fan endurance, Telepopmusik, of France, played a late night show at Cameo Gallery. Clocking in at 3AM by set time, it was undoubtedly the final act of 2013’s CMJ marathon. It’s actually a fitting time for them to play; their musical aura is defined by its balance between relaxating vibes and dance beats.
Telepop’s live composition came with two alternating lead vocalists in Angela McClusky and Betty Black. Almost all of Telepop’s music feature vocalists, so to see a couple of them live is a nice treat. Behind the singers, it was primarily a one man show as Fabrice Dumont spun vinyl and handled theremin wizardry. The music cycled through most of their material before closing on their hit, “Breathe,” which was remixed into a weird, extended dance version we may have all been a bit too sleepy for.
I was pleasantly surprised by Betty Black‘s opening set. She plays bass guitar with authority, and was backed by a proficient guitarist and drummer. Her tracks all have a solid night vibe, and her closing cover of “Personal Jesus” was a nice re-imagining. She has been busy this year, releasing an album, Bad Weather, and collaborating on Telepop’s Try Me Anyway / Fever EP.
Dream Koala, another French electronic musician, played second in his US debut. While very mild mannered, he wove some chilled soundscapes, utilizing a guitar for some bonus points. I almost nodded off swaying to his music, for how much it felt like a lullaby. Odyssey is his latest release.
