Neon Neon

Neon Neon emerged from an alliance between Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys and left-field hip-hop producer Boom Bip, whose initial joint effort occurred in 2005 when Rhys supplied vocals for "Do's & Don'ts" on the latter's Blue Eyed in the Red Room. The pair fashioned warm, dance-oriented tracks shaped by '80s new wave, Prince, Kraftwerk, and additional touchstones, while enlisting guests such as Spank Rock, Yo Majesty, Har Mar Superstar, and the Magic Numbers to broaden their palette. Recording of the debut began during summer 2006, a finished version was performed at a CMJ showcase the next year, and the opening singles "Trick for Treat" and "Raquel" appeared around that period. The completed Stainless Style, conceived as a chronicle of carmaker John DeLorean's life, finally surfaced in March 2008 via Lex Records and earned a place on that year's Mercury Prize shortlist. The duo reconvened for Praxis Makes Perfect in 2013, an album that traced the story of publisher and left-wing activist Giangiacomo Feltrinelli.