#legrind

Pillow Talk by Le Grind

I was planning on writing about something else this week, but after hearing New York-founded, U.K.-based trio Le Grind, it’s Pillow Talk FTW.

The song is an irresistible mix of fun and theatrics. It opens with vocalist Reyna Lauren on the phone, commiserating with a friend over a disappointing new relationship. Then, when the beat drops, it’s all about that bass--thick, infectious, and impossible to confine to the role of an anchor, the rhythm section jumps to the forefront of the song and had me bobbing my head until my neck was sore. Reyna sings and dances her way through a deliciously retro and fluorescent-lit handful of sets. There’s a translucent candy-colored telephone, a gold tinsel backdrop, and lyrics plastered onto the screen in font you could expect to see in the opening credits of a 70’s blaxploitation flick.

The song, too, is not without its influences. The beat incorporates telephone sound effects, reminding me of Cake’s classic Never There, another song about heartache and scorned love (though not as cynical and edgy as this one). And Reyna’s vague naughtiness, coupled with phrases of French spliced into the lyrics, harken back to the cabaret sensibility of the iconic Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge.

Given the high production quality of both the song and the video, it may come as a surprise to learn that the whole thing is a Kickstarter-funded project, and that Le Grind’s Facebook page has under 300 likes. We could be witnessing the start of something here--I’m excited to see how big these guys have gotten by this time next year.