St. Lucia (2016)

One Liner: 80's synth pop renaissance with a few good songs and then <sound of Pac Man dying>

Poster Position: 10

Thoughts:  I had predicted these guys, based on their inclusion in the lineups for two of the other major festivals.  At the time, I said that I thought they were another band (I think I was thinking of Saint Motel) but said that because they are electronic we are likely destined to have them.  And here we are.  This is more of that 80's retro synth pop, and while I want to dislike it out of hand, I've actually really enjoyed some of these songs.  They remind me of the radio stations on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.  Oh no, now I got to "Love Somebody" and this is why I wanted to dislike this band out of hand.  Blurg.  But, let's stick to the good stuff here so that you can get suckered into going to see them live!
Two albums (2013's When the Night and 2016's Matter) along with two 2012 EPs.  The most popular track on Spotify (29.4 million streams) is from that 2013 album and is called "Elevate."

Just try to be crabby when that song is playing.  Just try!  You, over there stalking this blog in your black trenchcoat and Panic! at the Disco-brand eyeliner, give in!  You know this made you want to give a kiss to Molly Ringwald and take one of her diamond earrings from her!  You know it!  And then their second most listened-to track is their most popular on Spotify right now, called "Dancing on Glass," and it similarly hammers the sunshine synths all the way to the promised land.

19.7 million streams there.  This one is from that new 2016 album - I feel like I've heard it before somewhere, although I doubt it would have been on the radio.  I don't know.  According to the Spotify bio page, this band is essentially a solo project of a South African guy named Jean-Philip Grobler.  Maybe he is going to jam with Die Antwoord in a massive South African party jam rave.

Anyway, those two singles are really very good.  Hard to deny the soft caress they give to my pleasure centers and the undeniable danceability.  But, I've got to say that a foray through the entire catalog leaves me less enamored with the guy.  Its lovely falsettos and synths for everyone, but I feel like we left this style of music behind for a reason, right?  I thought grunge won?  I doubt I'll go see this cat, but who knows what will happen with the schedule.