Kristin Welchez, otherwise known as Dee Dee of Dum Dum Girls, is set to release her first album under the name Kristin Kontrol in May and its title track already gives a taste of the radically new direction she’s taking. According to Welchez herself, she grew up listening to 80s pop divas like Janet Jackson, Madonna and Tiffany and, while the album’s title track ‘X-Communicate’ definitely has a contemporary edge, it’s not hard to see where their influence has seeped into Kristin Kontrol’s mind.
With highly polished production, shimmering synths, slick vocals and a thoroughly infectious chorus, Welchez might give her pop contemporaries a run for their money. Kristin hasn’t entirely given up her rock roots though; the closing bars contain a guitar solo that sounds like it could have come from one of New Order’s best records. With her fresh sound, Kristin Kontrol is master of her own rosy destiny.
X-Communicate is released on 27th May through Sub Pop.
Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine