The Arrogance of Simplicity

by Margaret RegesTo the uninitiated, tHe pEneLOpe[s] (aka Axel Basquiat and Vincent Tremel) seem like nothing more than a knock-off of other retro-chic electronic acts bopping around Europe. Like fellow Francophones Daft Punk and Sebastien Schuller they have a habit of donning masks during their performances, and like Air they're "aficionados of vintage instruments." To top things off, they make a point of calling their music "existential," which just sounds silly. Given all this, the average, jaded electronic music junkie might be tempted to pass tHe pEneLOpe[s] up -- which might be a mistake. Even if they come across as a little clichéd and pretentious, the good news is that their debut, The Arrogance of Simplicity, is really addictive. Forget the existentialism, this is some seriously danceable music. Likely taking a cue or two from like-minded contemporaries Dopplereffekt and Miss Kittin, tHe pEneLOpe[s] have made an album that combines the spaciness of the Cocteau Twins and New Order with the heady beats and dripping, ominous vocals of KMFDM. "Teenage Dust" (a remix of a song by LTNO that originally appeared on that band's 2004 Hellywood Sons release) is pure sex punctuated by feral screams, neon pink guitar riffs, and crisp synthesized handclaps. "Demian" wanders into fairly predictable Euro-dance territory with androgynous vocals by Dierdre Dubois (Ekova) and bright synthetic drum licks, but the menacing synthesizers keep things from going stale. Every track, from the sound-collagey (and thoroughly enjoyable) "Your Plan for Happiness" to the rock anthem "Circle of Seasons" fairly hums with energy. Even though tHe pEneLOpe[s] adhere to many of the stylistic mores of other Euro-dance outfits, their frosty, robotic edge makes them stand out from all the other masked auteurs of the dancefloor.