Red Wire Black Wire

On the surface, the music of Red Wire Black Wire sounds as though frontman Doug Walters grew up on a steady diet of the Human League’s landmark album, Dare! A closer listen, however, reveals roots in Grandmaster Flash-era hip-hop, with an emphasis on fluid bass lines and playfully melodic synth work. The Brooklyn act draws equally from the dark, reflective lyrics and upbeat music of new-wave synth pop, and the recently released Robots & Roses showcases Walters’s penchant for this contrasting aesthetic, with introspective songs that recall post-punk but without the modern tendency toward jittery rhythms. Surprisingly devoid of self-conscious cynicism given the subject matter of its songs, Red Wire Black Wire clearly uses life’s low moments as a source of inspiration rather than an excuse to wallow in despair.