American-Statesman Staff
She may keep her real name quiet, but Italian electronic musician Tying Tiffany is ready for the U.S. to know her. The Padua native, born in 1978, has been releasing music in Europe since 2005, a potent blend of gothy melodies and industrial dance vibes, part Suicide Girl, part Suicide (the band). Last year’s “Dark Days, White Nights” is prime electronic thump, pleasingly thunderous and whispery at the same time — she’s a little bit Trent Reznor, a little bit Karen O. And in classic industrial fashion, maybe those sounds are recognizable and maybe they aren’t.
“I believe in the spontaneity of the moment, and the instinctive process of researching sounds is for me one of the most exciting part of the whole composition,” Tiffany said by email.
Drawing on such classic post-punk clatter as Killing Joke, the Fall and Clock DVA, Tiffany’s debut album “Undercover” appeared in 2005 and included “LCD Soundsystem is playing at My House” (riffing, of course, on LCD’s own “Daft Punk is Playing at My House”). Her first U.S. release, an EP called “One,” is slated for later in the month on ZerOKilled Music.
While she isn’t yet a known quantity in the States, songs of hers have appeared on “CSI” and trailers for “Corialanus” and “The Hunger Games,” and she’s formed a side project called TTL with her regular producer Lorenzo Montana to work exclusively on film music.
“Compared to what we usually do with my solo albums, the sound of TTL is more contemporary classical and industrial,” Tiffany said. “It has been a great privilege to be part of such successful movies: the TTL song ‘Deep Shadow’ (in ‘The Hunger Games’ trailer) is one of the most rewarding tracks I’ve ever composed.”
This is a big moment for Tiffany; it’s her first time in the States. “I have a very nice fan-base in the States who follow me via web, but I never had the chance to meet them yet, so I’m really excited. This EP is like a new beginning.”
Tying Tiffany at SXSW
6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall Plaza and 10 p.m. Friday at Soho Lounge.
More from Europe
Boy (Hamburg, Germany). Valeska Steiner is Swiss by birth, Sonja Glass is German and the pop-music they make, especially the single “Little Numbers,” feels about five minutes away from being licensed everywhere. (11:30 p.m. Wednesday at Central Presbyterian Church and midnight Saturday at Hickory Street)
Lacuna Coil (Milan, Italy). Bombastic, vaguely gothy semi-metal anchored by the twin vocals of Christina Scabbia (she of the lovely skirts) and Andra Ferro (he of the unfortunate shorts). (1 a.m. Saturday at Dirty Dog Bar)
Plastic Flowers (Thessaloniki, Greece). This dream-pop outfit has only been around since 2011, but their blissed-out music-of-the-spheres sounds like the work of much more expert hands. (11 p.m. Saturday at The Velveeta Room)
Brodka (Warsaw, Poland). Were you wondering what Poland’s answer to Robyn might be? Ladies and gents, Ms. Monika Brodka who won Polish Pop Idol in 2004 at 16. Also , Brodka is really fun to say (Brodka! See?). (9 p.m. Saturday at Esther’s Follies)
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