Everyone loves a good mystery. That was why people were always fascinated by what Miss Marple was up to around the village of St Mary Mead when she wasn’t pruning her roses. That lady knew all about solving mysteries.
New York disco-pop champs The Golden Filter are also fond of a mystery. In their case, they’re reluctant to reveal their identity, giving away only the barest of details. Name, rank, number, that kind of drill.
One is an Australian called Penelope (who lived for a spell in London and worked as a flight attendant, right) and the other is a New Yorker called Stephen.
They met as neighbours in New York, had a chinwag about film and photography and started making music together soon afterwards.
At least, they’re not keeping their music under wraps. What you get with The Golden Filter is thumping disco-pop with plenty of vroom and songs tailor-made for the Studio 54 after-party.
Both of the band's singles to date, Solid Goldand the forthcoming dancefloor thriller Thunderbird, are grooves touched by the spirits of Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer and Nile Rodgers. For once, all that glisters is gold(en).
Even their remixes – and so far they’ve done redecorating jobs for Empire of the Sun, Little Boots, Cut Copy and Peter, Björn and John – are worth a listen. They are definitely not the usual cash-in job you often get when next big things step up to the remixing plate.
You get the feeling that the whole mystery thing is going to become a little exasperating before long. Best for the band, then, just to face the music and dance, especially with songs as good as these.
- www.myspace.com/ thegoldenfilter
