Mahogany "Supervitesse"

For a newish band like Mahogany with no discernible extramusical reference points (aside from the random Diana Ross or Kurt Weill mentions), the presence in the studio of ex-Cocteau Twin Robin Guthrie is pretty important. For the most part the band sounds a lot like the Cocteau Twins, if they were fifteen when they recorded Treasure and liked to skateboard and play video games and whatever. Which, if you add an Asian singer, makes them Asobi Seksu, I think. I'll check on that. All of these needless comparisons fall away, though, with a gleaming flash like "Supervitesse" (mp3). There's a lot to compare to the Twins in here, from the bassline of dark rubber to the frosty glow of the female vocals that come in as counterpoint during the chorus, but Mahagony are less interested in creating floating ice castles of sound than sleek, propulsive, futuristic dance pop. Both the album's cover art and title (Connectivity!) indicate that Mahogany are looking to build a self-sufficient island, comprised of a crowded group of things that can only seem to be united by their representations of progress and technological ingenuity. If so, then this song is going to be playing on repeat on the bullet monorail that takes residents from building to building.

Buy Connectivity! from Darla here. Mahogany's website.