“Got a feeling I’m a robot…”

The longing in Julie Hardy’s voice is palpable. It’s a gorgeous voice, filled with warmth and pain, seemingly in contrast with the icy synths and computerized sounds that lurk behind her heartache. But within Clementine & The Galaxy, these two worlds meld together just fine. A retro/futuristic spin on pop, the Brooklyn duo craft evocative electro sounds with a human heart. Hardy may sing “I’ve been programmed not to miss you,” but it’s her soulfulness that propels the whooshing synths and cinematic flourishes of her bandmate/partner Mike MacAllister.

Think the grand drama of St. Vincent, a sprinkle of Bowie’s stardust. Electro-pop gems with a mod sci-fi motif.

Clementine & The Galaxy officially debuted in 2011 with the release of the single “Crying My Whole Heart Out.” Word spread quickly. The duo garnered a feature in Interview (“a pop duo with their hands on synthesizers and heads in the cloud”) and praise from Time Out New York (“Spacey, playfully proggy art pop in the Bowie lineage”). Since then, they’ve released a self-titled EP, a well-received cover of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” and a popular remix of Big Data’s “Dangerous,” among several others.
This year, Clementine & The Galaxy will unveil their second EP, Midnight Machine, released by Jillionaire of Major Lazer’s Feel Up Records.

The songs on Midnight Machine are equal parts heartbreak and uplift, the cool alienation of “Robot” contrasting with the upbeat, anthemic “Can’t Knock Me Down” and the slow build of “When the Night is Over” (which you may have heard gracing a Victoria’s Secret ad). It’s a complex, multi-faceted pop affair.

Before the release, the duo is gearing up for the road, including appearances at this fall’s CMJ. Live, the group features Hardy on vocals and synths, MacAllister on guitars, and a drummer. “We used to have a larger live band, but we decided to simplifying things. And I’m playing keys again,” says Hardy.

They continue to write new music as well: C&TG is prepping another set of material for next year, a more collaborative affair, including songs written with members of Cobra Starship and Sally Seltmann, the co-writer of Feist’s “1234.” Says Hardy: “It’s different, but we’re still just writing music we like. I’m feeling really good about it.”

This grand union of Hardy and MacAllister sprung from unusual beginnings. Hardy began her career as a singer-songwriter, but one who’s found her talents used far and wide: as a back-up singer for Ellie Goulding on Saturday Night Live. Performing with St. Vincent on Letterman. A smattering of guest vocals and ad work.

MacAllister, meanwhile, was writing film scores and commercials. “We had this one gig in common. Before that we didn’t know each other,” says Hardy, laughing. “It was an incredibly strange gig that our mutual friend found on Craigslist. I had to sing a bunch of hymns in different languages and Mike was the engineer. We did it four years in a row.”

Intrigued by MacAllister’s producing work, Hardy asked about collaborating. “I was performing at the time as Clementine. Then I started working on these new songs that were a real departure,” Hardy says. “It begged for a more electronic sound. So Mike and I started working as a team.” As their sound quickly gelled, “The Galaxy” was added to Clementine’s moniker.

“What I like about the band is that we have so many unique, hybrid elements about us,” says MacAllister. “We’re constantly experimenting, hearing our sound change and grow.”

Nothing robotic about it.

Hailing from Dripping Springs, TX lead vocalist Mark Wystrach fronts Midland’s rich sound that is rounded out with lead guitarist/vocalist Jess Carson and bass player/vocalist Cameron Duddy. Rooted in tradition in both sound and style, the trio initially garnered attention playing clubs in the region. Their critically-acclaimed sophomore album LET IT ROLL (Big Machine Records) earned the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top Country Album Sales chart upon release, receiving praise from outlets such as Rolling Stone, Variety, NPR and Entertainment Weekly among others. Wystrach, Carson and Duddy all played an integral role in writing the 14-track album with Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne which features Country Radio’s Top 40 and climbing single “Cheatin’ Songs.” The album was produced by Dann Huff, McAnally and Osborne and was a follow-up to the critically acclaimed debut album, ON THE ROCKS (Big Machine Records). Launching in 2017 with rave reviews, ON THE ROCKS was declared “the year’s best Country album” by Washington Post. Their 2x Platinum-certified chart-topping debut “Drinkin’ Problem,” which offers an intentional nod to Country music reminiscent of the 1970s and 80s, earned the band their first GRAMMY® Awards nominations for Best Country Song and Best Country Duo/Group Performance. Midland was also named New Vocal Group of the Year at the 2018 ACM Awards and is nominated for Group of the Year at the 2020 ACM Awards.

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