It's a hot and sweaty Saturday night and the men of
Xlover have found themselves at a late night party in London. Without even knowing, the lead singer of one of the most exciting bands of the future is somewhere in the same building.
Nina Rai (pronounced 'ray'), has just agreed to meet the boys and discuss this new project they are starting called '
Xlover'. The idea is to make the most sexy, supersonic music possible.
Having just left his job working with Prince at Paisley Park Studios in his hometown of Minneapolis, Bryan Black (cofounder) only wanted one thing: to show his former employer how it should be done. By then Prince had forgotten most of what had made his music so irresistible.
Xlover was going to pick up where Purple Rain left off, but in a way that no one could have predicted.
Nina Rai could pass as a female version of Prince if not just in her appearance, but also in the way she gracefully commands the stage. No one can determine where she came from, or how she got here, but one thing is clear: She's a star. Her stark beauty perfectly compliments her dry vocal delivery, telling tales of watching it, faking it, making it. Onstage she switches from sex kitten to bitch from hell and back again before you've had time to rub your eyes.
Oliver Grasset, fresh from the industrial wasteland of Val d'Oise, France was playing drums/programming for an up-and-coming, and greatly over-rated band, Dirty Harry when he met bryan and then decided to leave Dirty Harry to start
Xlover. Scott Fairbrother was caught playing with
Death In Vegas and a local electro act called Client, before he was pinched and then quickly, almost without a fight, coerced into playing guitar.
After distributing a few CDs of their first recordings to DJs such as Hell and
Felix Da Housecat,
Xlover soon found themselves in the studio with Felix working on his new album and remixing the likes of Marilyn Manson and Gwen Stefani.
After a string of shows in Berlin, Munich and their hometown of London, including shows with the Scissor Sisters, and an rapturous performance at a fashion show for Vivienne Westwood,
Xlover were ready to record their debut album. Titled 'Pleasure and Romance', the album was recorded over an intense 6 month period. 'Pleasure and Romance' is a collision of pulsing analogue synths, jilted guitars, sexy minimal percussion, a 10 piece orchestra, and the unforgettable voice of nina rai. One of the most ambitious and innovative pop albums of our time, the 'Pleasure and Romance' sessions produced over 40 tracks. Guest appearances from friends like Princess Superstar (on the cover of Prince's 'Darling Nikki'),
Felix Da Housecat, and Jon Klein (The Cure, Souxsie and The Banshees) provided the icing on the cake.
The band carefully selected 12 songs and sent a CD to
DJ Hell. Upon receiving the CD, Hell invited the band to perform in Berlin, at the Gigolo Love Parade. After a very raw, and impassioned performance in front of a sold out, completely mesmerized audience, the band were officially invited to join Gigolo Records.
The first single to be taken from the album, 'So Blue' is quite simply one of the most beautiful love songs ever written. And an absolutely perfect introduction to the world of
Xlover.
