Professor Murder

In 2004 the New York City quartet Professor Murder assembled, featuring Jesse Cohen on keyboards, samples, and fake drums, Andy Craven on drums, Michael Bell-Smith supplying vocals, percussion, bass, and keys, and Tony Plunkett on bass. The group fuses synthesizer textures with percussion-driven pieces shaped by late-’70s and early-’80s post-punk outfits while folding in buoyant, optimistic melodies. After several years of playing almost entirely within NYC, the band secured support slots with !!! and Radio 4. Their first EP, Professor Murder Rides the Subway, appeared on the Kanine imprint in July 2006.