[Introducing] – The Pixels

Can you name a Romanian indie rock band?  Nope, me neither, well not until today I couldn’t anyway.  Then I came across The Pixels. This four piece from Bucharest formed in 2006 and are on the La Strada label.  Having played at festivals alongside such names as UNKLE and dEUS, they released an album in 2008 called “Fire Exit” and are now preparing for the launch of their next album by releasing a new single “One Part”.  Let me tell you what an introduction to an unknown world this track has turned out to be.

I grew up as an Indie kid, always looking for the next band that I could rightfully call my own.  Hours spent scouring NME for groups my friends had never heard of and then going to the local record shop to ask them to order me in records before they even hit their racks.  One memorable day I even got my mum involved.  I can imagine that living in Romania at the moment must be a bit like that.

Lead singer Catalin Rulea’s vocals are a throwback to those early days,  bringing back many memories of shoegazing nights in sweaty basement nightclubs, trying to look cool, bobbing my head whilst drinking pints of Castlemaine XXXX.  Add a couple of strong guitar performances and they might have provoked a quick glance in their direction and a sigh of days gone past.

However, mixing it up by throwing a danceable electro backing onto it, suddenly I’m contemplating a brief flight over to try to recapture those lost years and see what else Romania has in store.  I bet the lager is better too!

Throw in the beautifully shot video by Dan Vezentan and you have a track that deserves to be played loud and often.

Connect with  The Pixels - Website | Myspace | Facebook | YouTube

The Pixels – One Part (Radio Edit)