Voltaire Twins sound like the precise moment a late-night city commute turns into an unexpected adventure. Their music is built on a foundation of crystalline synthesizers and driving, danceable rhythms that bridge the gap between 80s new wave and modern indie-electro. There is a sleekness to their production that feels both futuristic and warmly nostalgic, like a high-definition dream of a vintage disco.
What truly sets them apart is the vocal chemistry between siblings Jaymes and Tegan. Their voices intertwine with a natural, almost telepathic synchronicity, creating harmonies that feel like a single, multi-faceted instrument. This vocal layering, combined with sharp guitar stabs and relentless arpeggiated synths, creates a sound that is intellectually engaging yet physically impossible to stand still to.
Start with the single 'Animalia' to hear their knack for infectious hooks and atmospheric production. It captures their ability to blend surreal lyrical imagery with a beat that demands movement. From there, dive into the 'Milky Waves' album to experience the full breadth of their evolution from Perth's indie-dance darlings to sophisticated synth-pop architects.
Voltaire Twins is an Australian new wave band from Perth, Western Australia, now based in Melbourne, consisting of lead vocalists & synthesiser players (and siblings) Jaymes and Tegan Voltaire. The band performs live as a two-piece, with the twins playing synthesiser and guitar and singing. The band was unearthed by national youth broadcaster Triple J in 2008, when they won the Triple J Unearthed Play at Parklife competition on the back of their song "D.I.L.", which received airplay on Triple J. Their band's second single "Animalia", released in 2011, gained high rotation on Triple J, Fbi and RTRFM in Australia. It was released in the US in November 2011 and debuted at #36 on the USA college radio charts. They went on to high-profile support slots for Ladytron, Maxïmo Park, Art vs. Science, Midnight Juggernauts and Lost Valentinos and festival slots at Parklife Festival, St Jerome's Laneway Festival, One Movement for Music, Summadayze, Good Vibrations Festival and Groovin' the Moo. In March 2012, they performed at SXSW in Austin, Texas. In 2014 the band moved to Melbourne to write and release their debut album. The first single, "Long Weekend", was released in February 2015, quickly followed by national airplay on Triple J, a remix by Luke Million and a national tour. The band followed this with another single, "Goodnight, Spiri"t, and announced their debut album Milky Waves would be released in August 2015.
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); synth-pop, dance-pop, indie pop (subgenres)
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); indie pop, synth-pop, dance-pop (subgenres)
Shares synth-pop, indie pop, new wave (subgenres); digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style)
Shares synth-pop, indie pop, new wave (subgenres); digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style)
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); synth-pop, indie pop, dance-pop (subgenres)
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); playful, energetic, restless (moods)
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); new wave, synth-pop, dance-pop (subgenres)
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); synth-pop, indie pop, new wave (subgenres)
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); synth-pop, new wave (subgenres)
Shares digital clarity, layered dense, studio polished (production style); indie pop, synth-pop, dance-pop (subgenres)
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