Hoodlem

Ooooooh, this takes us back.

Obviously, we’d give ANYTHING for a second *NSYNC reunion. Their reunion at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards only made us want MOAR! (And yes, we’re still very much reeling over Ryan Seacrest’s cruel April Fool’s Day prank. YOU DO NOT JOKE ABOUT THESE THINGS.)

Alas, even if we can’t get the original fivesome back together permanently, at least we have Hoodlem’s incredible interpretation of the boy band’s smash hit off of 2001’s Celebrity, “Girlfriend.” It’s the Flashback Friday gift that keeps on giving!

Hollowing out the song’s funky, pre-solo Justin Timberlake groove, the Aussie outfit cut the groovy guitar licks short and toss in hazy synths, sparse drums, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it flourishes of piano instead.

The haunting vocal delivery? That’s probably the closest we’ll ever get to hearing Lorde cover a boy band. (Unless… #CrossesFingers) And, watch out for that brief sample of JT’s “Señorita” during the bridge — it truly remains ***flawless to this day.

A full twelve (!) years later, we’re all a little older, yet “Girlfriend” has never sounded so fresh. Now, go ahead and start Googling photos of JT with that ramen hair from back in the day. We know you want to.

+ Listen to Hoodlem’s cover of *NSYNC’s “Girlfriend.” - MTV

Melbourne duo with a mega-jam in a tiny package. Kind sounds like pre-singing James Blake (with someone else singing).

"IGOTU," this skittering club track by Melbourne's Hoodlem, seems to be ever folding into itself, not blowing out speakers but imploding them, somehow. The production reminds me of pre-singing James Blake, and that moment when everyone wanted to say dubstep was dead but didn't know what else to call the sound. Inside all that is the potential for a mega-jam. - The Fader

These pages have seen us go on and on and on about the ever-elusive Hoodlem since they first drifted onto our radar last year, and their legend only seems to go greater with each passing release. Hot on the heels of their smoked-out cover of Justin Timberlake‘s “Girlfriend”, the Australian enchantress pushes the envelope and emerges from the shroud of hazy darkness with a brand new track called “IGOTU” . Trading the Jai Paul-channeling production of their early output for a simmering Disclosuresque bounce, it’s a downtempo heartbreaker that overwhelms you with sonic seduction in the most understated way possible. Hoodlem make their US debut on Popshop supporting Tourist at Westway on June 5th, tickets on sale Friday. - Neon Gold Records