April Towers - Certified Freaky (2018)

British duo April Towers make synth pop with bright melodies, driving beats, and an undercurrent of post-punk darkness, recalling '80s groups like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and New Order as well as 2000s indie dance outfits such as Cut Copy and Hot Chip. Alex Noble and Charlie Burley formed the duo in August of 2014, and released their debut single, "Arcadia," that year. Several more singles arrived in 2015, as the duo performed at music festivals in the U.K. and Europe. The 12" EP Silent Fever was released by Lab Records in 2016, containing previous singles "Modern Psyche" and "A Little Bit of Fear," along with remixes and newer songs. Soon after the EP's release, April Towers began recording their debut full-length, Certified Freaky, at London's Dean Street Studios along with producer Ben Pearce. The album's first single, "Takes One to Know One," was released in June of 2017 and was followed in early 2018 by the single "Tel Aviv." Certified Freaky followed that summer. ~ Paul Simpson