After recently being introduced to the delights of Israeli band Eatliz, I was excited to come across their stable-mates Electra (actually Eatliz’s record company suggested I give them a listen). It’s not often I get to sit back and go “Wow!” when listening to an Israeli band for the very first time, but these boys made my ears perk up almost instantly!
Jangly guitars, bundles of attitude and charisma, catchy tunes (sung in English) and some ska elements thrown in for good measure, these guys could be on the verge of something special. I was almost blown away with their single “Coming to get you”, which for me had some very Supergrass cum The Last Shadow Puppets moments. In other words, Brit pop/rock at its finest. The rest of their back catalog was also impressive.
Electra have a showman for a lead singer in Nitzan Horesh, someone who can put the entertainment and balls back into the Israeli music scene. And after seeing them up close and personal at a private gig in their recording studio I’m even more convinced these guys can do something special.
Their ear-bending ability to turn a classic into something quite different, yet still ultimately contemporary, is stunning. I love what they have done to music I grew up on: especially Julian Cope’s “World Shut Your Mouth”, and, yes, I have to admit it, I can’t get their version of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” out of my head…go on, give it a listen (and then lock yourself away in a dark room, and listen again).
With the right exposure, and they are touring in the States right now, perhaps even another Sony super-deal could be on the cards, much like the one Asaf Avidan and his Mojos grabbed a couple of years ago. If ever there was a band to challenge Asaf and his Mojos in bringing superstardom to the Israeli music scene, Electra could be the ones to do it…
Check out the clip below of “Coming to get you”, which has just been re-released on video. To be honest, I prefer the raw energy of the first video (see here), but I can understand the reasoning behind the makeover.
And if you want to read more about Electra, you can always check out their myspace page, or connect with them on Facebook.
Watch out for these boys, they’re coming to get you…!