Los Angeles – South African-born Jean-Philip Grobler, aka St. Lucia is prepared to release his much anticipated sophomore record, Matter via Columbia Records. Grobler, who is now Brooklyn-based, released the first single, “Dancing On Glass,” a fetching 80s-inspired dance track last October. It was teeming with hooks and synth-pop beats. While Grobler has been dropping remixes every so often in the past two years, “Dancing on Glass” was the first original music since his effervescent 2013 debut, When The Night. The electro-poppers also include Grobler’s wife, Patti Beranek on back-up vocals, guitarist and bassist Ross Clark, keyboard player Nicky Paul, and drummer Dustin Kaufman. For album number two, it was a collaborative effort. “Dancing On Glass” was written with Tim Pagnotta (Walk the Moon, Matthew Koma) and “Help Me Run Away,” brought Grobler and Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff together for something imaginative. On the production side, the band tapped Chris Zane (Passion Pit and The Walkmen). It’s clearly evident that Grobler has expanded his musical purview with the new record. With eleven brand spanking new tracks, St. Lucia will immediately be kicking off a US tour to coincide with the January 29^th release.

“Do You Remember?” launches the record in the best possible way. The roaring opener is bold, sumptuous, and striking. It grabs the listener with spectacular hooks and infectious beats.  “Home” is a dazzling 80s dance-pop tune.  The robotic-like synth beats are drenched with 80s-pop ingredients. You can envision a goofy and unabashedly silly music video to be paired up with it. Basically it makes you want to jump out of your seat and dance. In fact, it seems St. Lucia’s intent all along is to have people to get up and dance. And I’m not sure how one could refrain from doing so while listening to this record. “Dancing On Glass,” the band’s monumental single is unquestionably awesome. It is, hands down, the catchiest, most addicting song in recent memory. The song feels like a companion piece of Walk The Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance” and we all know what that song did for them. Hopefully and much deserving so, this mellifluous effort will push St. Lucia into new heights, professionally. “Physical” places St. Lucia in another bold direction with vocal loops and trancelike synth arrangements.

“Game 4 U” is a fairly gentler paced jam, but it’s one of the most captivating tracks found on Matter. The relationship themed tune is a charming endeavor that marks yet another refreshing approach for the band. The sounds and beats take on a different vibrancy than the previous tracks that feels less synth-y and more natural. The inclusion of horns and what seems to be a saxophone in the tail end of the song allow for the tune to standout. “Love Somebody” is an R&B inspired tune that brings to mind other acts such as Active Child and Chad Valley. With the snapping of fingers and seductive beats, “Love Somebody” is a deliberately paced track that will have you slow dancing this time around. “Help Me Run Away” feels like the perfect workout song. It has this go, go, go mentality about it. The chorus just bursts with the title line “help me run away” and combined with the explosiveness of layered sounds, the combination is breathtaking since it feels like you never have a moment to come up for air. The thing is, Matter is an album filled with breathtaking moments mostly deriving from its splendid hooks, energetic demeanor, and breakneck pace, but sometimes there are those unexpected surprises that materialize. One of those surprises comes in the form of the closing track, “Always”. The anthemic pop-rock effort is grandiose and immensely affecting that appropriately feels like the superlative choice for a closing track from St. Lucia. The song features backup vocals of Beranek, who sparkles with her angelic voice. In the end, it has one believing that St. Lucia is in no way one-dimensional as they tap into a powerful sound that pushes their boundaries both lyrically and musically. St. Lucia explores more than your typical snyth-pop outing on Matters making it a true gem amongst a sea of pearls.

For more information on their upcoming tour, set to begin on January 30th, go to the St. Lucia website or the St. Lucia Facebook page.

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Sean Kayden

His father has always been an avid fan of 70s and 80s artists. He introduced Sean at an early age to the likes of many rock groups of that era. In the late 90s, Sean acquired a fondness for the likes of such alternative bands as Smashing Pumpkins, Goo Goo Dolls, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. In high school, he gravitated towards artists like Brand New, Saves The Day, and Fall Out Boy. As Sean entered California State University Fullerton, where he earned his BA in Radio/TV/Film, his music taste expanded to the realm of Broken Social Scene, The National, and Death Cab For Cutie. For as long as Sean can remember, he has always had the desire of launching his own stories that would someday be presented through television, film, and print. This form of expression continuously uplifts his spirit. Sean is a certified TRX fitness trainer and teaches group classes as well.

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