Is there anything exciting about England? I’m convinced that nearly everything in England is miserable. The weather’s gloomy, the people are despondent, the food is crappy, and the police are still salty because they can’t seem to get their hands on Banksy, the world-renowned street artist who terrorizes the city with his concealed craft. With all of these factors in hand, I have no reason to believe that anything worth my time could come out of the UK.
But oh was I wrong. I was very wrong. Upon getting the link to Teleman’s official webpage, I was stunned when I heard the first forty five seconds of their new hit single ‘Steam Train Girl’. Not only did they have the melody of Alt-J, but they also had the harmony of The Shins. For me, two perfect worlds had smashed together and formed the most beautiful planet. We’ll call Teleman “Planet X” for that matter, because they’re destroying the indie scene with an awesome sound.
So for those who don’t know, Teleman was formed out of a band called Pete and the Pirates. Now that is one wicked name and I’m totally backing it, but I guess they needed something new in life. After all, the UK is still trapped in the 1700’s thinking that the Queen is in charge of the land. But hey, regardless of a name change, Thomas, Jonny, and Pete still bring a great sound to the land of the glum. All three members work together to bring a quirky rhythm to the table.
Teleman also has sounds inspired by The XX. They can be heard in my favorite track ‘Cristina.’ Every time I listen to this song, it feels like the beats are emerging from the surface below me. So to go along with that feeling, I get this mental imagery of the girl from The Ring creeping out of her well and having the intention of slaughtering me. It’s a weird analogy, I’m fully aware, but give it a listen and I think you’ll understand what I mean. You get this feeling that the beat will build up to something intense, but it just progresses and builds a load of anticipation. It’s one of those songs that sounds really good with the windows down while you’re cruising through town.
Another thing that I really like about Teleman is the creative application in their music videos. I get this feeling that these guys have had their fare share of hallucinogens, but if that’s not the case, then it’s pretty damn evident that they love watching the Discovery Channel show “Planet Earth” at three in the morning. Their videos are kind of a mix between Vine and Instagram. Each clip is looped several times in different colored filters that send out an out-of-earth feeling. I’m not too sure how they come up with these ideas, but it’s axiomatic that Teleman wants to bring an obscure image to our minds. I don’t know about you, but I’m ok with that.
At the end of the day, I think Teleman might be my favorite new band from across the pond. They have great sounds, they pay tribute to some of my favorite bands and they have a rad image. I’m also really crossing my fingers that they will decide to tour in the states soon. Teleman, if you’re reading this, the USA wants you here!
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