Back in 2005, a decision was made to create a record label based on love for electronic pop and European disco; thus, Italians Do It Better was born. Home to many projects like Chromatics, Glass Candy, Symmetry, et al., the label grew into a synthpop/Italo disco revival powerhouse. Last December, Mike Simonetti from the label announced he was leaving and has now confirmed his next step. He’ll be co-directing a new label with Mike Sniper, Captured Tracks founder: 2MR, short for 2 Mikes Records.
Ostensibly a dance music branch for Captured Tracks, 2MR will debut with a release by Simonetti’s new band, Pale Blue, out April 14. The group’s first single, the titular “The Past We Leave Behind,” is not dissimilar to Simonetti’s Thief-like contribution to The Guest’s soundtrack (previously heard in 2013’s Italians Do It Better showcase After Dark 2); the track possesses a grand-scale pop finesse that nevertheless avoids relinquishing the populist beats. So, yeah, Mike Simonetti had to leave Italians Do It Better in order to find a Chromatics of his own. You can stream the track below.
Simonetti, who will also take care of A&R duties for 2MR, is no newbie to the label-running game. Over a decade-and-a-half ago, he was the man behind the iconic noise rock outlet Troubleman Unlimited (Black Dice, Wolf Eyes, Harvey Milk, Boris, Unwound). Actually, though it sounds nothing like the label’s flagship acts, Pale Blue is somewhat of a throwback to those years for Simonetti. Mike Sniper’s band Blank Dogs put an album out with Troubleman Unlimited a few years ago. Similarly, former collaborator Jana Hunter, whose 2005 split with Devendra Banhart came out via Troubleman Unlimited, will appear in Pale Blue’s debut as a guest vocalist. Silver Hand’s Elizabeth Wight will handle Pale Blue’s vocals throughout the record.
The Past We Leave Behind tracklist:
01. The Past We Leave Behind
02. The Scars
03. Distance to the Waves
04. Mia
05. Tougher
06. Myself
07. The Scars (Reprise)
08. Dusk in Parts
09. The Math
10. Rain
11. The Eye
12. Embrace
13. One Last Thing
• Pale Blue: https://www.facebook.com/PaleBlueOfficial
• Captured Tracks: http://www.capturedtracks.com
More about: Mike Simonetti, Pale Blue
