Moodboard: Teengirl Fantasy
While students at Oberlin College, Nick Weiss and Logan Takahashi connected over a shared love of classic house and techno records that prompted them to make their colourful a-typical dance music. In the fall of 2010, True Panther Sounds and Merok released Teengirl Fantasy’s debut LP, 7AM. Titled after the, “confused, dreamy, half-awake, half-asleep state that one experiences after staying up all night partying,” 7AM was critically praised for its creative use of samples and experimentation. On their sophomore LP, Tracer, Teengirl Fantasy featured an array of vocalists including Panda Bear, Romanthony (of Daft Punk’s “One More Time” fame), Laurel Halo, and Kelela. Tracer touched on an array of genres such as techno, pop, R&B, and house.
Take a look and a listen at TF’s track ‘EFX’ featuring Kelela below, ans keep scrolling for a list of inspirations and influences that range from vector syntheses, to a deep appreciation for cumin.
Vector Synthesis
“This is the basis of a lot of our music and something about the architecture of this type of synthesis really speaks to us. It is based off of a vector plane , which could be controlled by a joystick, which allows you to mix between four different sounds. It is the movement between those sounds that creates the synth patch .. This creates an inevitably ethereal sound , and almost feels like traveling .”
Thomas Dolby- Valley of the Mind’s Eye
“The final sequence of The Gate to the Mind’s Eye ( an early CG animation compilation) really goes deep, attempting to bridge all of human technological / artistic achievement from like the 15th century to the early digital age. This wide eyed view of humanity , rendered through early digital animation , has this very specific earnestness that was shared among a lot of early electronic innovators and composers . People like IASOS, Suzanne Ciani, David Von Tieghem, their work feels so romanticised in its portrayal of the human spirit and potential and I really like that.”
Dry Eye Mist
“Was introduced to this this past year while driving across the country and I’ve become rather addicted. Best solution for tired eyes from driving and staying up all night while looking at a computer screen. It works by spraying your eyelids and having the solution soak through your pours and into your eye – was cool to discover that you can do this.”
Moments in Love and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
Art Of Noise- ‘Moments in Love’
Ryuichi Sakamoto – ‘Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence’
“We view both of these songs as almost perfect examples of composition, balance of restraint/release, harmony, and counterpoint in a piece of production. Although both of these tracks were made in the 80’s we appreciate them more for their timeless qualities and moods rather than any sort of nostalgia, and think that sonically they still feel very relevant.”
Cumin
“Have been getting into this spice recently. Will be eating something and notice that it tastes great and then realise it’s because there’s cumin in it. We’ve both been going to Flushing, Queens to try the different asian food there and ended up having the best cumin spiced lamb in soup, never tasted anything like it before.”
Words: Caroline Murphy
