Pixel Toy first emerged as an electronic act, but don't just expect bleeping and noodling at their upcoming live shows - the duo are ready to rock.
This weekend's gigs will coincide with the release of Pixel Toy's second album, O...OH. Unlike their debut record, the electronica-infused Science of Love from 2005, the new 10-track CD embraces
a rock sound and acoustic instrumentation, with songs inspired by bands such as Shocking Blue and Joy Division. The duo will perform new tracks and also cover numbers by some of their heroes, including Radiohead and Blur, at the shows.
Core members vocalist Candy Wu Wing-sze (right) and programmer guitarist Ho Shan will be backed up by bassist Karl Wong Sheung-chun and drummer Stephane Wong as they show their rockier side. 'It's like a tribute to some of our favourite rock bands,' says Ho. 'We sound as if we are a rock band. But we are still sticking with the approach of making electronic music, using computers to create a rock band sound. It's a pretty interesting process.'
The duo, who won the award for best musical arrangement at the Warehouse Teenage Club's annual band competition in 2001 by turning Nirvana rock anthem Smells Like Teen Spirit into a psychedelic electronic number, achieved their breakthrough when they signed to Anthony Wong Yiu-ming's People Mountain People Sea team in 2004.
On their new record, comprising Cantonese, English and Putonghua numbers and co-produced by PMPS' Yu Yat-yiu, Jason Choi and the duo, they've freed themselves from being pigeon-holed as an electronic band, presenting their new numbers in 'the best way the songs should be presented'.
Ho says: 'In the past, we had an urge to tell people that we were an electronic duo. But that became a kind of burden for us and limited our music.'