Free Blood

John Pugh once described Free Blood as a fusion of the Manhattan and Brooklyn party scenes. Such a statement reeks of hipster pretense, but there's some truth to it. On the surface, the duo's post-everything grooves (equal parts electro, indie pop, post-punk, hip-hop and Timberlake-inspired schmaltz) possess a dance pop sensibility perfect for the Manhattanite's swank club scene. At the same time, Free Blood flirt with an avant-garde vibe inspired by Brooklyn freaks like Gang Gang Dance, Excepter and Telepathe. Basically, Free Blood craft wacky dance jammers for those who want to dance, not stand around with their arms folded getting all experimental. They came together in 2003 while Pugh was still serving time in !!!. He and his partner, Madeline Davy (who is also a fashion designer) soon became a local hit with their chaotic live shows, which entailed lots of massive beats and total spazzing out. Pugh eventually left !!! because what he and Davy wanted to accomplish in the studio required their full attention. The hard work paid off. Free Blood released a string of wonderfully bizarre singles and remixes, most of which were collected on the pair's debut full-length, The Singles.