On Pirouette, the latest album from New York-based Model/Actriz, there’s a lineage that runs from the funkier, Gang of Four side of post-punk to the noisy, late 1990s aftermath of hardcore that led to indie dance bands like The Rapture, The Faint and !!! to the L.A. DIY scene of the ‘00s and early ‘10s that spawned bands like Health and clipping. It’s noisy, driven by an urgent energy and will probably scare off those who like nice pop songs. It’s music for people who like to keep things weird, but still need structured songs and a good dance beat.
When I first heard “Cinderella,” which was released prior to Pirouette, I was floored. It was sometime in March and I’m not even sure how I landed on the the Model/Actriz Bandcamp page because I was aware of the group, but not actively seeking out any of their music. Regardless, I clicked play and knew within the first minute, more or less, that it was a killer indie dance song with a similar vibe to The Rapture’s “House of Jealous Lovers,” which still gets a lot of play at the clubs some 20+ years later. So, I bought the track, dropped it in a mix, played it in a set at The Mermaid and anxiously awaited the release of the band’s full-length album, Pirouette
What I really appreciate about “Cinderella” is that it is 100% a dance song, but it doesn’t follow the conventions of dance music now. There’s a lot going on in it, weird clanky noises, some hints of techno that remind me of an old Paul Woolford banger called “Erotic Discourse,” and a beat that starts and stops. Plus, there’s Cole Haden’s intense vocal delivery, which is so central to the song that it makes mixing it a little tricky. Basically, it’s made for dancing, but not really for DJs, which is good because, when it’s the other way around, it can get boring on the dance floor (and in the DJ booth too).
After listening to Pirouette a handful of times since it was released in early May, I’m happy to report that the entire album is far from boring. Of course, Model/Actriz has garnered a good amount of press for the album, so maybe you’ve read something similar elsewhere, but I hope this take at least a bit different from what you’ve already seen.
Model/Actriz and co-producer Seth Manchester, who has also worked with Battles, do a great job of synthesizing a lot of elements into an album that’s very cohesive. They also manage to make some quite jarring sounds- like the blown speaker fuzz that appears in multiple songs and will stress out anyone who has spent their adult life working in clubs – palatable. Haden ties this all together with a real gift for delivering poetic, confessional lyrics.
On Pirouette, the clubby songs, which include “Vespers,” “Departures” and “Audience,” as well as “Cinderella,” work in tandem with heavier, rock numbers like “Poppy” and “Diva” and ballads like “Acid Rain” and “Baton” to form an album that’s consistently engaging and puts a fresh spin on dance floor-friendly rock.
Get Pirouette by Model/Actriz.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Read her recently published work and check out her upcoming gigs or listen to the latest Beatique Mix. Follow on Instagram or Bluesky for more updates.
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