UPFRONTBEATS

Norwegian duo Ost & Kjex make a welcome return to Crosstown Rebels. Their Private Dancer EP is a masterclass in producing dance-floor ready rhythms. They welcome fellow Norwegian Whalesharkattacks to the mix to provide her dark yet dreamy vocals.

‘We had a fascination with Tina’s Private Dancer since first being exposed to it by Pat Sharp on Sky Trax in the 80’s. Whalesharkattacks personifies everything that’s cool about the 80’s, so when we met her we knew we had to cut a version’ Ost & Kjex

Private Dancer is as dark as it is melodic, with eerie drum pads and a medley of dreamt synths. Norwegian vocalist Whalesharkattacks, whose music has been described as 808 goth, lends a distorted vocal. On Nightingale a burdenging bass adds a sense of urgency interlaced with vocals reminiscent of the 80s era. Cosmic synths float side by side samples of beautiful bird song. A titillating work of art with a mesmerising beat.

Ost & Kjex met at school in their teens, bonding over a love of skating, punk and death metal. Their band, Beyond Dawn, released six albums between 1990 and 2003. Fast forward to 2018, and their shared love of music has developed into electronic productions and creative live shows. Their debut album as Ost & Kjex Some But Not All Cheese Comes From The Moon in 2004 was made entirely of sounds from cheese and biscuits. They’ve played at an eclectic range of venues from Thai restaurants in Moscow to Panorama Bar in Berlin and car launches in China.

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