Posted on: March 30, 2010 Posted by: anfnewsacct Comments: 0

Grovesnor aka Rob Smoughton, drummer for UK electro-pop outfit Hot Chip and glitch-troubadour in his own right, has announced the debut of his solo album, ironically titled Soft Return, on May 25th through Lo Recordings. Grovesnor blends silky vocals with retro synth melodies. The ensuing mix is wholly distinctive: smooth and mellow with a synthetic edge, a sweet face obscuring a broken heart. It has echoes of Hall and Oates, Steely Dan, and Billy Joel, updated with electronic elements to bring new life to some old favorites.

Download the radio edit of his first single, “Taxi From the Airport,” and see for yourself!

Smoughton himself explains: “The music is not pastiche, I love that stuff too much. Lyrically, there’s another thing going on. You can write a novel from another person’s perspective but when you write a song and use the words ‘I’ and ‘You’ then there’s often an assumption it’s personal. The ambiguity of ‘is he for real’ is where Grovesnor comes in. He’s more of an anti-hero, and often makes mistakes or chooses the wrong path at pivotal moments. If there’s comedy in these songs, then that’s just the tragedy amplified to comic proportions.”

Between touring with Hot Chip (and opening select dates), Grovesnor, originally a solo live act, will tour with a full six-piece band in support of Soft Return.

For more info, please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/grovesnor
http://www.grovesnor-music.co.uk/

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