LA-based indie-dance duo Manics founded Popgang Records back in 2013 as a platform to champion a wide swath of genres and sub-cultures built on the punk-DIY mentality turned modern. Now, Manics celebrates the label’s 150th release by unveiling their debut LP Pastel Palace. The eight-track album is a truly dynamic cross-pollination of indie dance meets nu disco, resulting in their signature “bass disco” flair and is available now.
Tracks “Four You” and “Apollo” highlight the duo’s seductive synth work and Deherrera’s brooding vocals, while their signature disco bass sound is front and center in tracks “Perfect-Energy (feat HoneyLuv),” “Golden Teacher,” “Pastel Palace,” and “MIND CNTRL.” The album closes out with the pandemic-inspired indie dance track “Life on Mars” and vocoder lead ballad “Sound of The Memory,” marking the ideal celebration of the label’s 150th release from Popgang’s founding flag bearers .
Manics is a Los Angeles based indie dance live act and DJ duo composed of Jordan Deherrera and Chris Sanders. Their performances are a medley of indie pop vocals, live bass, analog synths, percussion and modulation. Since its inception in 2012, the project has been supported by Odesza, Goldroom, Steve Aoki alongside other staples in electronic music. Pastel Palace marks the duo’s debut album and showcases their unique blend of indie dance, house and their self described “bass disco” sound.
Originally based in San Francisco, the duo are a mainstay in the bay area with past plays at Treasure Island Music Festival, Northern Nights, Noise Pop Festival, SummerSalt and more, sharing bills with Classixx, Club cheval, Destructo, Digitalism, Hot Chip and Moon Boots to name a few.
During quarantine, the duo produced their weekly live stream event series Psychedelic Research Club, a 4 hour showcase of underground house, techno and nu disco artists streamed from their studio in LA. The duo are also the creative minds behind the label POPGANG Records. Founded in 2013, the label features artists and producers across a wide swath of genres and sub-cultures while retaining a cohesive identity built on the punk-DIY mentality turned modern. Past and current artists include HoneyLuv, Mary Droppinz, ASW, 35mm, Electric Treasure and many other emerging acts. With now 150 releases to date, POPGANG’s catalog is a diverse collection of work from open minded artists with this album marking the labels 150th release.
POPGANG is also an active event producer. Pre-covid the collective produced 4-6 events a month in the bay area at venues like Mezzanine, F8, Great Northern, Monarch and 1015folsom. Now based in LA, they’ve brought back their signature house & techno party Cyber Rodeo and have plans to re-launch their live electronic series WAVE//DECAY which has featured notable artists like Giorgia Angiuli, Suzanne Ciani and Modular Princess.
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