Who? It’s not surprising that Mixel Pixel hail from that patchwork of neighborhoods that is Brooklyn. After all, Rob Corradetti, Matty Kaukeinen, Kaia Wong, and Matt Snee are the proprietors of a sound that sews together the seemingly disparate parts of pop, electronica, and rock. And that’s just one element of who they are — Mixel Pixel are also visual artists, t-shirt makers, and lip-balm brewers, among other exploits. The group began as a 4-track experiment between Corradetti and Kaukeinen at the University of Delaware, and by 2005, after moving to Brooklyn and securing keyboardist and vocalist Wong and Corradetti’s childhood friend Snee, they were officially a four-piece from Park Slope.
What’s the Deal? Music For Plants is the fourth tome in the canon of robotic psychedelia referred to by the band as “Delaware,” and though the song remains the same — male and female vocals detail tales of loves and loves lost — the album is a darker, creepier turn of events for the group. This may be due to Mixel Pixel’s influences: While recording Music For Plants, band members read sci-fi writer William Gibson and watched Kubrick films for inspiration. Recorded in Corradetti’s apartment on an 8-track and later massaged via technology, the album traverses darkly futuristic pop landscapes, leaving the signature trail of blips and bleeps the group has become known for. Helping the process along is producer Rusty Santos (Animal Collective), who secures the pop-psychedelic leanings Mixel Pixel has spent four years cultivating.
Fun Fact: Mixel Pixel’s musical alter-ego, Lexip Lexim, has remixed songs by Of Montreal and Beck, among others. These remixes are posted for perusal (and occasional download) on their MySpace page. KAITLIN FONTANA
Now Watch This: Mixel Pixel – “You’re the Kind of Girl” QUICKTIME
Now Hear This: Mixel Pixel – “Switchblade Sister” DOWNLOAD MP3
On SPIN.com: It’s Mixel Pixel’s Party…
Talk: Are your plants totally into Mixel Pixel?
On the Web: Mixel Pixel at MySpace
