Though the members of Electric President hail from Florida, the duo is just releasing music on an American label for the first time. They've been together since 2003, and their previous discs and seven-inches came out on German imprint Moor Music. On The Violent Blue, the group continues melding electronica, pop and folk, but it also branches into some My Bloody Valentine-ish/shoegaze moments. There's more flirtation with distortion and thicker layering than on past efforts. Lyrically, the record is dark and brooding, often touching on lost love and isolation. Singer Ben Cooper goes from sad to bitter on the terrific "Eat Shit and Die," describing broken love in an almost apocalyptic tone. The beautiful title track sounds like a cross between Moby and M83, with its waves of synths, lush orchestration and faint rhythms. Electric President borrow inspiration from several styles and completely transform them into something fresh. — Eddie Fleisher
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