A refreshing concoction of guitar-tinged pop and laptop trickery, New Models is the new two-piece powerhouse comprised of vocalist and guitarist Mark Herbkersman and electronic musician Bernard Farley. Born of the nation’s capital, the duo was inspired by both artists’ rich knowledge of their respective genres, namely IDM and Indie Pop. However, when combined, the result sounds distinctly original and remarkably fresh, keeping one foot in pop sensibilities and the other in raw experimentation.

Perhaps this is because half of New Models has already cut his teeth in the music industry. Farley, most notably the force behind the moniker, Outputmessage, brought forth “Bernard’s Song” on the Ghostly International’s pronounced Idol Tryouts compilation in 2002. This was followed by equal success on Idol Tryouts II, and a slew of noted works following on such labels as Melodic and Echelon. However, the history of the parts has never been part of New Models’ strength. They thrive on the marriage of Farley’s programming mastery with Herbkersman’s adept lyrical and vocal abilities resulting in a sonic brilliance. Make no mistake, New Models might be the best band you’ve never heard of.