Taking inspiration from the amateurish antics of Huggy Bear and then acting like they were seven years old, the Bis were one of the strangest phenomenons of late '90s British indie-rock. Aggressively primitative and defiantly childish, the Bis claimed to be at the forefront of "the Teen-C Revolution," which apparently translated as young adults... [+] Read More

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A Japanese-born duo relocated to New York and christened with an Italian band name, Cibo Matto's music mirrored the melting-pot aesthetics of their origins, resulting in a heady brew of funk samples, hip-hop rhythms, tape loops, and fractured pop melodies all topped off by surreal narratives sung in a combination of French and broken English.... [+] Read More

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Computerization = Derek. He/It makes awkward, happy electro-indie for your free enjoyment. Expect excitement out of unnecessary rhymes and analoguey synths while he sings extremely close to your ear. Uncomfortable and Wonderful all at the same time.

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Straight outta Brooklyn comes the funky new wave sounds of The Cooler Kids. Comprised of Kaz Gamble, aka DJ Kazimir and California girl Sisely Treasure, The Cooler Kids originated when Gamble was messing around at the Pop Rox studio with ex-Luscious Jackson singer Jill Cunniff. The two were laying down disco-inflected tracks with some friends... [+] Read More

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The British dance-pop outfit Dubstar formed in Newcastle, England in 1992. Comprised of vocalist Sarah Blackwood, keyboardist/programmer Steve Hiller and guitarist Chris Wilkie, the trio soon recorded a demo containing a cover of Billy Bragg's "St. Swithin's Day," quickly earning a contract with the Food label. After their first single, "Stars,"... [+] Read More

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Godfathers of the Shibuya-kei scene, Tokyo kitsch-pop deconstructionists Pizzicato Five originally began taking shape as far back as 1979, when university students Yasuharu Konishi and Keitaro Takanami first met at a local music society meeting. Agreeing to form a band, they soon recruited fellow society member Ryo Kamamiya; their search for a... [+] Read More

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Combining an inclination for melodic '60s pop with an art rock aesthetic borrowed from Krautrock bands like Faust and Neu!, Stereolab were one of the most influential alternative bands of the '90s. Led by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier, Stereolab either legitimized forms of music that were on the fringe of rock, or brought attention to strands of... [+] Read More

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Synth pop's first international superstars, the Human League were among the earliest and most innovative bands to break into the pop mainstream on a wave of synthesizers and electronic rhythms, their marriage of infectious melodies and state-of-the-art technology proving enormously influential on countless acts following in their wake. The group... [+] Read More

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The Magnetic Fields are a bona fide band, but in most essential respects they are the project of studio wunderkind Stephin Merritt. Merritt writes, produces, and (generally) sings all of their material, as well as plays many of the instruments, concocting a sort of indie pop synth rock. While the Magnetic Fields may draw upon the electronic... [+] Read More

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