thunderheist

thun/der/heist (th?nd?rhist): The act of stealing another’s thunder, to trump another with something far more superior

Tag team Thunderheist - front woman Isis and soundsmith Grahm Zilla - drop from the top rope and hit the stage, over and over again. Sinuous swagger seeps from Zilla’s ominous basslines, while digi-horns blast the senses like homecoming marching bands and Moroder bears witness. Clutching the mic like a sceptre, African daughter Isis laces joints with lyrical angel dust, rich vocal foreplay brimming with braggadocio forte. You could be among thousands in a stadium, or intimate at your local bar… either way, if you’re in the front row, expect to get wet. Thunderheist sweats Belvedere and Red Bull, and sprays more hooks than a heavyweight championship bout.

Who knew that an accidental MP3 upload would have birthed a phenomenon. Never having met in person, but electronically connected through common musical friends, Grahm and Isis began Thunderheist as a project to throw a wrench into static hip hop conventions and explore their love for the dancefloor. The results have become their narrative of contemporary music, doubtlessly drawing on established musical codes, but also venturing into uncharted waters. Thunderheist are far more than an electrorap act grounded in hip hop, bass, and electro, but are also entrenched in disco, funk and R&B, altogether crafting a new definition of future pop music.

A frequent flyer of the blogosphere with a rabid fanbase and increasing press steam, Thunderheist is gaining worldwide viral popularity. The band has toured regularly since their Eurythmics-inspired ‘Suenos Dulces’ hit the blogs in early 2007 and catapulted them into the underground club music limelight. Thunderheist have shared stages with Crystal Castles, The Black Ghosts, Plastic Little, Boy 8 Bit, XXXchange, and more, headlining three VICE tours (Sweden, US and Germany), playing major music festivals in Canada & US (SXSW, CMJ 07, VFest, Pop Montreal, Hillside) and performing regularly across North America & Europe. The epic ballad, “Jerk It” came to life in a ‘cocktease’ of a top quality video directed by Seattle-based ThatGo, winners of a fan-video contest that’s garnered attention from dozens of blogs, tons of press mentions, NME.com coining them ‘Toronto, Canada’s shit-hot electro duo” and Pitchfork & Spin.com picks in Top Music Videos of 2008 lists. With the debut album ready to drop on Big Dada in Spring 09, it’s going to get even more hectic. Thunderheist is gaining speed and bandwidth, one byte / second, and heading straight for tera status. Get ready for it.

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