British musical pop duo The Ting Tings return four years after the release of their debut album “We Started Nothing” with a self-produced, power-pop sophomore album called “Sounds from Nowheresville,” reminding us how the group revolutionized the way America hears pop music now.
Britain has been influencing music as we know it since the days of British invasions, and pop is no doubt included in that. In the ’80s, British acts showed us the wonders and versatility of synthpop, which influenced some of the greatest pop movements, like New Romanticism.
Frankly, this British pop invasion hasn’t stopped, and it won’t be stopping anytime soon. The Ting Tings are here to direct the indie synth sound, an influence sure to be found in pop music years from now.
Their anthems from the iconic “We Started Nothing” album showcased trademark elements of punk-like statements (found in the U.S. sleeper hit “That’s Not My Name”) and chaotic, yet catchy, synth beats we came to love in “Great DJ.” In other words, they made a pretty awesome pop album.
Now, Katie White and Jules De Martino return to show us they haven’t become one-hit wonders like many pop artists on the scene, and they have brought along more sounds to play with.
White and De Martino come from two vastly different worlds. White was a little girl from a farm in a small town called Lowton, and she went to a school with a strong performing arts program. Her dreams of performing came true when her grandfather won the lottery and used a portion of his winnings to start a music management company. The company signed on White’s punk trio girl group, Technical Knock Out.
De Martino, who was born in East London, was already an accomplished drummer in two bands before White’s father, David White, brought him in to write songs for the girl group. From this, The Ting Tings were born.
The band, which formed by luck, has differences from other bands. These differences are apparent in their sound, such as random beats thrown around, one note strummed at a time and White’s sweet voice — chaotic differences that just happen to work.
De Martino told Spin Magazine in December that this new album was recorded during an eight-month period in Paris, Berlin and Merci, Spain, but the songs were written in multiple places — on the road during tours, the backs of cabs, etc. — hence the name, “Sounds from Nowheresville.”
The first single, “Hang It Up,” is a more stripped-down version of their synth-y sound, and it uses more actual instrumentation. The video was released in October and has garnered a million hits on YouTube so far.
The song starts off with White strumming guitar riffs that are reminiscent of old-school punk like the Sex Pistols while sassily singing statement-like lyrics such as, “My friends are making me higher and higher. They’re killing me with friendly fire.”
Seeming to have taken advantage of their traveling, the second single, “Silence,” sounds like an homage to their artsy beginnings and is reminiscent of German ’70s experimental rock. Guns shoot in the background, and White drones out somber lyrics in a monotone voice: “Hold, hold your talk now. And let them all listen to your silence.” It’s great.
“Hands” is the song that takes aspects of what we love from ’80s pop. Think of the fast, sugary, bubblegum beats we’ve come to love.
During the song, White asks the age-old question, “What’s a girl to do with two hands?”
“Hit Me Down Sonny” is largely hip-hop with some rock ‘n roll flair, a world Lil Wayne tried to venture into a few years ago. The lyrics are fast, feisty and flirty, with some rumbling percussion beats.
In the Spin interview, De Martino says that record stores are becoming obsolete, so while touring, they listened to music the way a majority of music listeners listen to it now: mp3s. So instead of listening to a record, they would compile playlists, which then led to the idea to create an album that was a playlist.
The Ting Tings do pretty much that. They put us on a ride of genres and time periods by putting together the best aspects of each, all while adding their signature elements to it. The end result is an album that shows us they have the chops and skills to play this little game called pop music, and they play it pretty damn well in just 10 tracks.
“Sounds from Nowheresville” is already out, and The Ting Tings started their U.S. tour.
Katie White and Jules De Martino represent Britain’s indie synthpop sound.
