Single review: Sexpop drops new song and video for Who To Call
Blaise Eldred’s Sexpop was just a one-man band when the Berklee College of Music student arrived in Austin as a member of the now-defunct psychedelic collective Acid Carousel. Before arriving in Austin, Eldred had two albums of material with his musical vehicle Sexpop and another record with Boston-based indie-gaze act RVRCT. (pronounced Rivercat) On new single “Who To Call,” Eldred takes a break from local funk mega-ensemble Grandmaster, revisiting his passion project with a fresh, refined approach with an accompanying music video to boot.
Sexpop started as just a bedroom solo outlet for Eldred, but the band’s current state has proved the outfit to be much more. The video for the new track is directed by Grandmaster staff videographer Greer James and production specialist/drummer Connor Mizell, who previously were responsible for the Grandmaster episodic YouTube series that accompanied the band’s latest full-length release.
When Sexpop became viral in the streaming world with their debut album single “The Way You Walk,” Eldred took the project to the next level. When the streams started piling up, (over one million), Eldred took it upon himself to assemble a live Sexpop group consisting of his bandmates in Grandmaster, who just released their debut LP earlier this year. The venture has resulted in opening slots for national acts, a month-long residency at Red River Cultural District’s Swan Dive, and the next chapter in their funky trajectory. “Who To Call” was written around the time Eldred and his bandmates were hard at work on the Grandmaster debut, an endeavor that required years of creative tenacity. The new track shows Sexpop picking up right where they left off, adding to the busy life of an Austin musician who lends their hand to a generous bunch of acts to date.
“Who To Call” shows Sexpop revisiting the studio to make themselves anything but a side project. The dream pop-infused funk remains readily intact, showing Eldred’s solo band expertise returning with clean-cut precision. Eldred’s backing band consists of fellow Grandmaster bandmates guitarist/synth player Nick Leon, bassist John Kuzmick, drummer Connor Mizell, and keyboardist Kenneth Frost. While the recording process is exclusive to Eldred, his laundry list of collaborators makes his visions a spectral reality. Sexpop celebrated this new release with a show at the Red River Cultural District’s Cheer Up Charlie’s featuring fellow local act TC Superstar on Saturday, September 14.
Watch the new video for “Who To Call” here:
Featured photo and song art courtesy of Sexpop
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