TEMPOSHARK

"Funktastic New York punk sauciness from, um, London, this is music from the dark backroom of Studio 54 in 1982 where Prince, Cameo, Wham! and New Order are frotting each other into a lather over the very idea of Fischerspooner coming along in 20 years' time. Determinedly hip … you will be hanging their picture on your wall." – NME

"The excellent Temposhark have been causing a stir with their gritty synth lyrics in electrotrashy nights across town. Ace newcomers." – Time out London

London-based electronic rock band Temposhark was formed in December 2004 by singer/songwriter Rob Diament and producer Luke Busby. The band immediately set up its own record label Paper and Glue as a means of releasing a series of limited edition singles; the first of which was the critically acclaimed EP Neon Question Mark. An instant hit with the UK underground, Temposhark, quickly collaborated on a duet with singer Imogen Heap (Frou Frou) and received club remixes from electro pioneers including Cursor Miner, Mark Moore (S'Express), Avril (F Communications), Metronomy, Melnyk, Crispin J Glover, Noblesse Oblige (Horse Glue) and hip-hop artists Border Crossing and Akira The Don.

After hearing Temposhark’s second EP Invisible Ink/Little White Lie (May 2005), acclaimed producer Guy Sigsworth (Madonna, Björk and Britney Spears) became an instant fan and went on to produce the band’s first nationwide released UK single “It's Better To Have Loved” (December 2005). In May 2006, Temposhark released its second nationwide single “Joy” on limited edition CD and 7” vinyl. The track became a favorite with the UK press and lead to a subsequent nationwide tour. Temposhark gained many new fans when the track was featured on the homepage of iTunes UK and in iTunes’ weekly newsletter and was featured as the iTunes US staff favorite of the week (January 2007).

Live, Temposhark are slick and sexy with a strong stage presence supported by innovative visuals. There are four of them on stage: Rob Diament (vocalist), Mark Ferguson (guitar), Luke Busby (keyboard) and Mathis Richet (drums), accompanied by string players where appropriate. They are a massive hit on London’s uber fashionable electro scene and have cross over appeal from the dance music and live music scenes. They are regulars in clubs, live music venues and top music festivals (Homelands, TDK Cross Central and the Latitude Festival) and performed as a part of two showcases at SXSW 2007 (Temposhark was awarded a British Music Abroad Award by The PRS Foundation in support of SXSW). The band completed two very successful North American tours in the summer and fall of 2007, with sold-out dates in New York, Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

As exemplified by numerous sold-out tour dates, North America has been a land of incredible support for Temposhark. A March 2006 MySpace.com homepage feature on Temposhark gave the band a new worldwide platform with more than 544,000 plays to date nearly 80% of the band’s music sales have come from North America. Influential LA radio station, KCRW, have also shown their full support for Temposhark by regularly spinning several tracks from the band’s forthcoming debut LP The Invisible Line (March 2008).

More than just music, Temposhark is also viewed as an all-encompassing art project. Vocalist Rob Diament is a huge art aficionado and member of the London fashion scene. Having previously worked for UK street artist Banksy and other influential graffiti artists, Diament now avidly collects a number of artists work including Tracey Emin, Anne Hardy, Annie Kevans, Jessica Rankin, Julie Verhoeven, Stella Vine and Phillipa Horan. Other galleries Diament has developed relationships with includes White Cube (London), Thomas Dane (London), Maureen Paley (London). Lehmann Maupin (New York), Lorcan O'Neill (Rome) and The Project (New York/LA).

Temposhark's album title The Invisible Line itself was inspired by controversial British artist Tracey Emin, from passages in her books Exploration Of The Soul (1994) and Strangeland (2005). Their vinyl and CD releases have also been stylishly packaged and this has projected their image as a band of quality. Additionally, Temposhark has written two short film soundtracks for fine artist Justine Pearsall and counts Bjork, Guy Sigsworth, Placebo and Darren Hayes amongst its fans.

 DEFEND RELEASES

Catalog Number:
DFN80035
Title:
The Invisible Line
Release Date:
March 2008

Track List
01. Don’t Mess With Me
02. Joy
03. Blame
04. It’s Better To Have Loved
05. Not That Big
06. Knock Me Out
07. Crime
08. Battleships
09. Little White Lie
10. Invisible Ink (Prelude)
11. Invisible Ink
12. Winter’s Coming