Tenek, one of the most consistently excellent acts on the synthpop scene, recently released a new EP that contains two new songs, a radio-friendly version of one of them and two remixes of songs from its stellar last album, On the Wire. The magic continues on this new disc, named EP2.

EP2 opens with What Do You Want, a likeable mid-tempo number that features tight vocal harmony between Peter Steer and Geoff Pinckney atop a rollicking mix of synths, violin, cello and a driving drum track. The string instruments bring a strong organic feel to this excellent song, and form the perfect counterpoint to the rest of the song’s tight arrangement. The violin part was played by the legendary Chris Payne, who was part in the original line-up of Gary Numan’s band from 1979 to 1989. There’s also a bit of cello in this mix. Nicely done!

The other new track on EP2 is next, Elusive, a dance floor filler that balances the duo’s awesome vocal harmony with a driving, echoing synth line. If God is in the details, then that explains why this is a divine track. Little synth bits drift in and out of the headphones, adding that extra element of aural appeal to an already solid track.

Next up is an alternative mix of The Art of Evasion, one of my favorite tracks from On the Wire. I think I like the album track a bit better, which was just a little bit punchier than this version.

After The Art of Evasion, the next track on EP2 is an alternative mix of Higher Ground, the last single from On the Wire. This track has a style similar to the last one- just a slightly different take on another excellent track that is hard to improve upon. Again, give me the album version over this one.

Elusive (Radio Edit) closes EP2. Its arrangement has been altered slightly to reduce its length and make it more radio-friendly. If someone asks you, “Tenek? Who’s that?” then have them listen to this track. If they don’t go, “Wow! These guys are awsome!” then call for an ambulance, because it’s obvious they don’t have a pulse!

I can’t wait for Tenek’s next full-length album. Hopefully they can make it to the States to play some gigs, too! Based upon what I’ve been seeing from the group’s Facebook fan page, the dynamic duo has been very busy playing gigs throughout Europe, steadily exposing more people to their unmistakable sound. I got to meet Geoff during the Chicago stop of the Legends of Synthpop tour in April; he was playing with Mesh. What a great guy! Bring Peter with you next time!

For more details on Tenek’s current activities and future plans, I urge you to check out this excellent interview with the Geoff and Peter on The Electricity Club’s website.

Geoff Pinckney and Peter Steer, better known as Tenek, have outdone themselves with their sophomore album, On the Wire. It builds on the momentum of last year’s Stateless release, and features another collection of delightfully complex and entertaining synthpop songs.

The duo’s confident songwriting and perfect musicianship are back with a vengeance on what one fellow synthpop blogger has accurately described as an “asskickingly beautiful” album. There’s no question in my mind that On the Wire is one of the best synthpop releases of 2010 that begs to be heard by a wider audience.

Here are some of the highlights:

Losing Something – This rollicking uptempo song gets On the Wire off to a kick-ass start with a strong bass beat and a driving mix of synths and guitar.

The Grid – A pulsating beat and propulsive lyrics power this standout song.

Higher Ground – A ringing lead guitar plays a delightful counterpoint to this song’s verses. The style of this song is reminiscent of some of The Fixx’s classic tracks. Higher Ground also showcases the fantastic vocal harmony between Pinckney and Steer.

Blinded by You – The single from In the Wire, the energetic Blinded by You is certain to be a dancefloor favorite at clubs worldwide.

The Art of Evasion – This slower song opens with a big, echoing analog synth intro that appears to be channeling Tears for Fears. When Steer kicks in with the lyrics, I’ll be darned – he even sounds a bit like Roland Orzibal. Don’t get me wrong – I mean this comparison in a very positive way. This is an awesome, moving song that is another one of my favorites.

On the Wire – This densely layered, propulsive track cranks the energy level back up, and features a deeply throbbing bass synth, the perfect counterpart to its soaring vocals.

Under My Skin – The perfect end to a perfect album, Under My Skin features killer guitar hooks, driving drum rhythms, soaring background synths and excellent vocal harmonies. An amazing pop song that is a powerful exclamation point to this outstanding collection of synthpop songs!

I strongly encourage you to pick up On the Wire. You won’t be disappointed!

Blinded by You is the new single and EP from Tenek, a British duo that has been tearing up the world of synthpop lately.

This EP is the first release from Tenek since their outstanding 2009 album, Stateless (read my review of it here), and is a worthy successor to it.

Blinded by You opens with the single version of the title track, a pulsating, multiple-layered masterpiece that will make you feel like dancing. Like Tenek’s other recent work, Blinded by You is filled with cool little touches that make this song really stand out, and Geoff Pinckney’s voice has never sounded better.

The second track is a new mid-tempo track called Synchronize that I must confess is not one of my favorites. It features a chant (“HEY!!!”) in the midst of the chorus that seems oddly out of place, as if the boys were trying a little too hard to up the coolness factor if this song.

The EP closes with a remix called Blinded by You (Designed for Dancing) which adds a heavier, more club-friendly beat to this song plus some cool new synth riffs and instrumental interludes. This is a nicely done mix that should be a real dance-floor filler.

If you’re a fan of Tenek, then Blinded by You is a must-buy. If this release sounds intriguing, it’s a great way to expose yourself to the excellent song writing talents of this dynamic duo.

You can purchase it in MP3 form from Amazon.com by following this link.

Tenek’s new album, Stateless, is one of the standout synthpop releases of 2009. It’s filled with infectious, complex songs that are a delight to listen to, with a myriad of rhythms and textures that are pure ear candy.

Tenek is the latest project from Geoff Pinckney (The Nine/Mesh) and Pete Steer. Both gentlemen have had long careers in the UK electronic music scene, and it shows in the confident, polished but never over-produced arrangements on Stateless. This is the first full album produced by the duo.

What really sets Stateless apart is the variety of songs, from synth-driven pop to club-friendly, beat-heavy, densely arranged floor fillers, plus several impressive instrumental tracks. A number of songs do an excellent job of blending synthesizers with guitars – a rarity in most electronic music these days. Steer’s guitar playing is used for emphasis, and never overwhelms the arrangement of the songs.

I’m a fan of layered arrangements where different elements swim around in the headphones, sometimes supporting and other times contrasting with each other. That means there’s lots to love in Stateless. There is literally no filler on this album. Every song is a strong effort in its own right.

Here are a few highlights:

Breakdown – One of my favorite tracks on Stateless. A club-friendly beat becomes really pronounced in the chorus of this densely layered arrangement. Vocals are punctuated by some use of vocoder, but it’s not excessive.

Submission – Opens with very cool guitar riffs. This is a nicely arranged mid-tempo song.

If I Should Fall – A driving uptempo number with nice use of vocal harmony. Another favorite from this album.

Where’s the Time – A rocking song with a great rhythm. Rather sparsely arranged, with pulsating synths and lyrics providing a very effective counterpoint to each other.

Fatality – A mellow instrumental track that starts out with a sparse beat, adds an understated, spacey guitar riff and is eventually punctuated by driving synths about two-thirds of the way through.  Nice!

I Don’t Cry (For You) – Intelligent lyrics and soaring synths combine with a nice, driving beat. Synthesized guitar is used nicely for emphasis between the chorus and verses. Another one of the better songs on Stateless.

Less is More- A driving beat and chilly, cool-sounding synths combined with Geoff’s sharply-punctuated vocal stylings make this perhaps the best track on the album, in my opinion.

State of Mind – Spacey opening that quickly evolves into a lush arrangement with pulsating, layered synths.

Sombre Friday – An awesome chilled-out instrumental that you simply must listen to on headphones. Nice layered arrangement point-counterpoint about halfway through the song between the stately “chorus” synths and an electric guitar.

If you’re a fan of contemporary synthpop, chances are you’re going to love Stateless, which is released on the Toffeetones label. I can’t wait to see where Pinckney and Steer go from here!