They won't lie low, even for a fee!

Lilofee is one of the freshest acts I’ve heard to come of San Francisco in a minute. And if you live in SF I’m sure you’ve heard the group in the last month or so because it has been playing out quite a bit. The quartet started up in late 2007 as a collaboration between multi-instrumentalist Rob Easson and vocalist Kimi Recor, the amazonian chanteuse who also fronted Invisibles, a San Fran electro outfit, which released material on DJ Hell’s label International Deejay Gigolos. As a live act, Lilofee becomes a four piece as the duo is joined by Dan Aquino, aka dmap! of SF rockers Every Move a Picture, and Cyrus Etemad, who, with significant other Rini Merdjanova, throws the long running and popular shindig Loaded at the Rickshaw Stop.

Thus there’s plenty of music — and merry making — experience between these four players. This is evidenced in some sterling live performances at Mezzanine and Popscene and in their repertoire of songs, like my personal fave “Lock and Key,” and the lurching and deliciously atmospheric “She Breathes Electric.” Essenitally Lilofee is fusing a pop sensibility derived from ‘60s girl bands with darker electro and industrial influences. The sound comes across as an evolution of the electro from the early part of this decade (before it got immersed in endless irony and became a parody of itself) and would sit nicely beside the likes of Miss Kittin and the Hacker and classic '80s new wave acts like Experimental Products. However, Lilofee's penchant for hooks makes its music all the more seductive and accessible.

This quartet is playing at Elbo Room next Monday night, the 8th of September. Be there and check ‘em out!

Orr