I saw this duo perform at Schubas Tavern a couple of nights ago, alongside Fear of Men. They are Los Angeles-based synth pop duo Puro Instinct, and they were promoting their sophomore full-length album Autodrama, following a lackluster debut last 2011 with Headbangers in Ecstasy (although some say that Autodrama is actually the dimmer album). Puro Instinct are sisters Piper Kaplan on lead vocals and Skylar Kaplan on backing vocals and guitar.
Hit or miss, the prominence of bass, percussions, and synthesizers in the 10-track album blend naturally with their still angelic voice, creating easily danceable tunes. All of the songs were written by Piper but there are a remarkable number of guest musicians in the album. Perhaps the most collaboration occurred in “Panarchy” with guests for the lead guitar (Franco Falsini), rhythm (Ariel Pink), flute (Courtney Garvin), and saxophone (Richard Ross). This might be due to the fact that the song just has two lines; perhaps it is more of an instrumental number.
Although the straightforward presence of 80s influences is noteworthy, some tracks have a tendency to sound too Madonna-ish (“Tell Me” and “Six of Swords”), which may or may not be necessarily bad.
Label: Manifesto Records, Inc.
Year: 2016
Personal favorite/s: Peccavi, Six of Swords, Scorpio Rising
y. pulongbarit-cuevo 