Sleigh Bells

When Derek Miller was in pioneering metal-core band Poison the Well, he probably didn’t think he’d be a member of an up-and-coming noise-pop band from Brooklyn, especially one that released its debut album on M.I.A.’s label. However, it was Miller’s desire to do an entirely different style of music that led him to his current bandmate, Alexis Krauss. The music of Sleigh Bells is an uncommonly effective blend of confrontational guitar rock and hip-hop-inflected electronic pop. It’s not often that abrasive sounds and a raw, nearly aggressive presentation of music have been made so catchy and danceable. That unlikely alchemy can be heard on the act’s debut album, Treats, and much more so in the live setting, where Krauss and Miller shine brightest.