John & Jehn

John & Jehn is London's latest über-hip duo that pulls simultaneously from old psychedelic acts of the 1960s, garage innovators, and the loungier efforts of outfits like Stereolab. Imagine a pared down reincarnation of the Velvet Underground with a more minimal sound and twist of Jesus & Mary Chain shoegaze grit.

At times, they nearly sound like Serge Gainsbourg trying to ape Nico, but at no point do they come off as purely derivative and they remain oddly sweet throughout every song. John & Jehn are endlessly arty -- imagine them playing with Lissy Trullie and Marnie Stern -- but they never get too heady or dense so as to make them un-enjoyable. They're loads of fun, and even if they're brooding over Voltaire's Candide and studying Charles Mingus at present, we can't help but love them to death.

Pick up the eponymous debut full-length right here.

John & Jehn - 20 L 07