Tic Tic Boom!

Unabashedly flaunting the striking synths of the eighties, Tic Tic Boom!, are bringing some life to the party with "These Motions". The duo of real-life couple Mike DeLay and Leilani Francisco illuminate the dance floor with sprightly, pulsing beats and jovial choruses, and they're intent on making sure that no one leaves the night with a frown. They're just about to release Their 4th EP It's the Heart That's a Fool on October 8, which should make any house gathering playlist all the more colorful. - The Deli Mag

The unvarying electro-pop melodies that many bands seem to cycle through, over and over these days, usually all sound the same. It usually replicates “Kids” by MGMT or “Sleepyhead” by Passion Pit, which–don’t get me wrong, are both great leads to be inspired by–many bands emulate. So, it’s very intriguing when a group grabs that special synth lead–one that just makes sense–from what seems to be ‘pop heaven,’ and runs with it as if it were their breakthrough anthem. And the LA-based, indie-pop rock duo, Tic Tic Boom!, consisting of Leilani Francisco and Mike DeLay, has done that and so much more with their latest single, “These Motions.”

The track opens up with a lo-fi introduction and then bursts right into the irresistible synth lead mentioned before. It resembles the mood of a party and gives the song’s ambivalent progression its happier demeanor. With both the live and electronic drums dancing around during the verse, the steady tag, “Na na na na!” sets the perfect flow following each chorus. The song is a creative mix between D.I.Y. control and poppy-perfection.

But this single is not the only release Tic Tic Boom! has up its sleeve for the time being. Already posted on their Bandcamp, a new EP, It’s the Heart That’s a Fool, is ready to lead dance parties long into the night. Even though the EP, which their single’s purpose is mainly for, is not being officially released until Oct. 8, the entire thing is available for free streaming early.
The rest of the songs give us even a better feel for who this small indie band out of LA really is. Track three—“The Sun Will Set” mostly keeps the same electronic theme alive but they throw in a little psychedelic atmosphere sound that twists the mood of everything during the verse. Then, as if a combo like this should have been written years ago, the chorus brings in this dreamy 50s-pop “Ooo ooo ooo…” line that sends chills down your back.

One of my favorite aspects about Tic Tic Boom!’s sound is the sweet charm of Francisco’s voice. It has that pitch that other electro-pop indie band male singers try and pull off, except, they can’t really do it the same as she has done on this latest set of tunes.

My advice would be to head on over to their Bandcamp, purchase their new EP, call some friends over and set up an all night dance floor for the weekend. You won’t regret it. - IE Weekly

The emerging indie synth-pop band Tic Tic Boom! is the creative convergence of Mike DeLay and Leilani Francisco. With music that has been referred to as "electro-pop-tacular", the band strives to make anthemic soundscapes containing elements drawn from indie rock, new wave and punk. Since the release of their EP “Reasons & Rhymes” in early 2011, Tic Tic Boom! has been built a solid base of loyal fans both in their hometown of Los Angeles and across the United States. Delay and Francisco are currently working on Tic Tic Boom!'s next EP, to be released in February 2012.
www.ticticboommusic.com - BMI.com

Los Angeles quartet Tic Tic Boom! began five years ago, when singer Leilani Francisco and guitarist Mike DeLay started dating. “I wrote a song and brought it to him,” Francisco tells CMJ, “and the rest grew from there.”

The group plays a brand of hook-laced synthpop that casts live drums and guitars as conspicuously as it does sugary vocals and catchy synth loops. Francisco and DeLay released their second EP, Reason And Rhymes, earlier this year, and Francisco says an important turning point for the band came when they decided to self-produce that latest offering.

“We took a good chunk of time off from the band,” she says, during which DeLay went through a certification program for audio engineering at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. “We both felt like it was important to be able to take creative control through the ability to self produce.” It was at school that DeLay met bassist Matt Gurgol, who, along with drummer Morrison Nichols, make up the rest of Tic Tic Boom!’s live band.

After DeLay graduated, he and Francisco moved to a musician-populated apartment complex next to the 101 freeway, where they began to furnish themselves a studio and record the songs that would become Reasons And Rhymes. The two still live and record there today. “Because of our proximity to the freeway we are able to make as much noise as we want any hour of the day,” Francisco says. “It’s a cool environment because we are surrounded by like-minded artists who are all working in music.”

The choice to go it alone in the studio hasn’t come without its challenges. Having started from scratch, the Delay and Francisco had to buy their studio equipment piece by piece, as the money came in, and wait to record each further track of Reason And Rhymes until they had the right gear for it. They’ve also had issues with crashing computers and hard drives along the way. Still, they say, the effort is worth it. “We definitely plan to continue self-producing,” Francisco says.

Since releasing Reason And Rhymes, Tic Tic Boom! has signed a deal with boutique publisher Zoomania Music, got added to Pandora, and had songs picked up by programs on Showtime and MTV. The band has recorded acoustic versions of some Reasons And Rhymes songs, and is working on a third EP that should come out in early 2012. After that, look for the quartet to make a trip to Austin for SXSW and spend as much time as the can touring elsewhere in the lower 48.
- CMJ.com

Tic Tic Boom! haven’t looked back since they’ve found their strengths in writing dance music, and their confidence has only grown with time. Electro-pop tunes like “Bees” on last year’s “Reasons & Rhymes” sparkled with an eagerness to shimmy bodies on to the dance floor, but new songs such as “For Feeling” off their forthcoming EP “Before the Sun Rises” (slated for an April release) surprisingly doesn’t drip with any of the previous sweetness, no matter how bright Leilani Francisco’s vocals come off. Instead the new single from Francisco and songwriting partner/guitarist Mike DeLay punches through any syrupy pop elements for heavy fist-pumping alongside electro-rockers. - Buzzbands.la

Tic Tic Boom's third EP, Before the Sun Rises will be released in April, but has already spurned excitement in the LA indie community, with the release of the EP's first single "For Feeling".

"[Before the Sun Rises] deals with concepts of life and death,” explains Leilani Francisco, vocals, keys, and co-songwriter of the band. “It's about struggling to understand your place in all of that.” Francisco and her co-founding bandmate Mike Delay are keeping their DIY roots intact as they vigorously promote their most inspiring tracks yet.

Catch this Indie electro-fuzz duo at any of these upcoming dates:

3.13 Austin, TX @ Empire Auto (SXSW)
3.17 Austin, TX @ MI Annex (formerly Emo's) (SXSW)
3.27 Santa Monica, CA @ Central S.A.P.C.
5.02 Los Angeles, CA @ Lot 1 Residency
5.09 Los Angeles, CA @ Lot 1 Residency
5.16 Los Angeles, CA @ Lot 1 Residency
5.23 Los Angeles, CA @ Lot 1 Residency
5.30 Los Angeles, CA @ Lot 1 Residency


Continue reading on Examiner.com Indie Music Mondays: Tic Tic Boom - Los Angeles indie music | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/indie-music-in-los-angeles/indie-music-mondays-tic-tic-boom#ixzz1pmWxOyV3 - Examiner.com

Conceived, created, crafted and finessed by Tic Tic Boom, Before The Sun Rises was brought to life in part thanks to the generosity of strangers via a PledgeMusic campaign. A hive mind Dr Frankenstein if you will, all of whom no doubt indulged in a cackle of delight, bellowing ‘it’s alive’ as the first bars of “For Feeling” explode out of the stereo.

Indeed, from that very first moment, donors are assured that they made a wise choice as they are assaulted by a barrage of laser sharp electronics and beats. Leilani Francisco’s vocals offer a soft, sweet counterpoint to the urgent, jagged sound but the energy never dissipates, the tempo barely drops. Brief respite is provided by “Ghost Of You”, a short, melodious dreamy whisper of a track before the really very Delphic sounding (which is a good thing) “Cells” kicks in.

Across the five tracks of Before The Sun, “Bees” and “Constellation Boy” complete the package, Tic Tic Boom has crafted an EP of delicious, vibrant electro-pop. Energetic and addictive, the EP blends beguiling pop hooks with pulsating club friendly synths. Depending on your sensibilities, you will most likely find yourself subconsciously nodding, singing choruses loud or cutting the most amazing shapes as you listen and enjoy. It is not an EP of passive sounds, it is an EP designed to be engaged with and it won’t settle for anything less.

Before The Sun will be released on 26 April and is currently streaming on the Tic Tic Boom Bandcamp page. - Alphabet Bands - Blog

As Das Tapes were wrapping up their gear, Picksysticks and I ventured outside and met up with Mike Delay & Leilani Francisco who compose the front court of Tic Tic Boom! This was their last set for 2011, and after almost a year of shows there first real break in a long time. They seemed excited. We made small talk and learned a bit about their somewhat crazy year. Shortly after, we joined up as their roadies and helped bring their gear on stage. It's the least I could do with boring them with my words. (lol!). After which, we sat back and enjoyed their set of electronic pop.

One side note, the Christmas lights tangled around their equipment were great touch. Created great color on all their faces. And check out the sweaters...mad respect!

Leilani has a voice, and was quite dominate over the soothing electronic waves. Her voice reminded me of Zero 7 / Summer Camp and even a happier, Jenny Lewis. Their whole sound is quite organic, seeming to be made of a flowing stream of pop conciseness. Despite being Leilani & Mike's brain child, the whole band really fleshes out the BOOM, that Tics Tics. To create an explosion of dance.

Can only imagine being in a dance hall: drunk & feeling like I'm reliving the Age of Aquarius or in a retro Japanese club. Very futuristic. It's fun, and makes for great travelling music...which, always gets a A+ from me.

We didn't stay for the rest of the sets, sorry to say...Tic Tic Boom was our main event! And I couldn't thought of a better way to end the night. - bored4music.com

Mix the early punk sounds of the Go-Go's and then add the moody infectious melodies of O.M.D. The result? You get the girl-powered, indie pop sounds of Tic Tic Boom.

Tic Tic Boom has been having a big year so far and they ended their year on a high note by playing their last show of 2011 at The Viper Room sponsored by SUPERGOODMUSIC with an Ugly Sweater themed show. But nothing about this past year was ugly for this Los Angeles-based quartet. With the release of their EP Reasons and Rhymes at the start of the year, Tic Tic Boom has been the buzz of the town with their electro-pop ambience loaded with a vintage 80s vibe.

Comprised of Leilani Francisco (vocals, keys), Mike Delay (guitar), Matt Gurgol (bass) and new drummer Trevor Hunnicutt, Tic Tic Boom's 5-track EP overflows with saturated textures that free-floats over inventive harmonies. "180 Degrees" is a glittery, slow turning disco ball ballad, "Floodgate" evokes Belinda Carlisle-esque's vocals delivered over aerial guitars while "Pattern" and "Just Friends" sets sparkling synths over soaring choruses.


Tic Tic Boom performs at The Viper Room
photo by picksysicks

Watching them perform at The Viper Room, Tic Tic Boom proves they can write infectious songs that will hold on to you long after you've listened to them, taking you back when the world felt like one big John Hughes movie. Their EP, which I purchased on iTunes right HEEEERE is on a constant loop on my iPod. And with 2011 coming to an end, 2012 looks to be bright for this young energetic band. Currently, they're already working on their new EP which drops early next year. You can help them out by donating to their Pledge Music page and receive some great and cool exclusives. - Pickysticks.com

It's getting all too easy to dismiss bands that take the mid-'80s as their musical touchstone; sometimes they're being bratty and ironic, sometimes they're simply being unoriginal, but in a few rare and wonderful cases they're taking basic ideas that have inspired them and using those ideas as a springboard to push them in a direction all their own. Mike DeLay and Leilani Francisco (aka Tic Tic Boom!) are in the latter category, and their debut EP finds them already approaching greatness. The only thing keeping them from tipping over into pure pop perfection is a slight dryness to their melodic hooks: on "The Floodgate," heavily reverbed vocals build up to a chorus that never quite pays off, though it sure sounds great all the way through. "Just Friends," the lead track and single, has a more voluptuous melodic shape to it, and "The Pattern" slyly lifts the synth part of some of the sung melody from Blondie's "Dreaming." But the EP's finest track is "The Open," which also boasts the strongest melodic hook of the program. All the elements are here, and Tic Tic Boom! is just a few sharper tunes away from being well on the road to greatness. ~ Rick Anderson, Rovi - Pandora.com

Hollywood’s Tic Tic Boom is the result of the creative convergence of Mike Delay and Leilani Francisco. Their EP Reasons and Rhymes is an excellent combination of pop songwriting, dance-able beats, and a great melding of guitar and synth. Leilani Francisco’s cute and cooing vocals enhance the fuzzy-inside nostalgia feeling on Just Friends and her vocals lend a sense of urgency to my favorite track “The Floodgates”. I’d describe Tic Tic Boom’s overall sound and being a point on a radar somewhere between Lali Puna and The Sounds, but one thing is for sure, if you are looking for a feel good album to close out the summer with, Tic Tic Boom has what you need.
- Azltron.com

You can almost smell the perfume and sweat from the dancefloor in the electro-pop of L.A. quartet Tic Tic Boom, whose swirling synths and disco sheen recall the days of Club MTV more than the cut-and-paste indie electronica that followed. The brainchild of singer-keyboardist Leilani Francisco and guitarist-vocalist Mike DeLay (who expand to a four-piece for live shows), Tic Tic Boom released its second EP, “Reasons & Rhymes,” earlier this year. Now they follow it up with “Bees,” a spring-loaded, five-minute banger that somehow sounds like London, 1990.
- Buzz Bands LA

When the goal is for your music to be labeled "electro-pop-tacular," you better stack big beats and supersonic synthesizers or go home. Fortunately Hollywood-based indie pop quartet Tic Tic Boom! are up to the task. Driven by the creative collaboration of Mike DeLay and Leilani Francisco, the band crafts giddy synth pop that combines lo-fi guitars, electronic flourishes and catchy melodies.

The uptempo romp "Just Friends" sounds like a long lost Go-Go's track, with it's bendy new wave-style guitars, fluttering synths and smooth harmonies.

Meanwhile, "The Pattern," driven by loopy synths, frenetic bass and Cure-style guitars, discusses such somber topics like death and nuclear war, proving that Leilani's voice has the power to make anything sound bright and poppy. A "99 Luftballoons" for Generation Y. - Indies and the Underground

As we inch closer to LA we thought you might like to get to know one of our awesome LA performers, Tic Tic Boom! (www.ticticboommusic.com) Come check them out when they show us how they do music at Wilson Plaza on Wednesday, March 30th.

Where did you come up with the name Tic Tic Boom!?

Simply put, we wanted a name that described a sound . . . what better than a few onomatopoeias?

What inspires you to make music together?

We love music and art. Seeing another band do what they do well, hearing a great record or even seeing a great piece of guerilla art in the city all make us want to create ourselves. The ability to share what we do with all the new technology at our disposal is another driving factor. Why not create and share?!

Who writes most of your songs and what are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?

Mike and Leilani write, perform and produce all the parts and instruments themselves in their own studio. Leilani writes lyrics and melodies and Mike plays drums, bass, guitar and acts as the bands engineer while recording. Keyboard parts and textures are written by either as the production progresses.

How long have you lived in LA and what inspires you about the city?

Leilani grew up in Southern California and Mike, originally from Seattle, has lived in LA for about 9 years. Los Angeles is a weird place! Beautiful and dirty at the same time. There is a constant pulse and drive and yet a laid back feeling. You can get lost in the expansive suburban sprawl, or find home in one of the many self sustaining neighborhoods. Subways or surfboards, LA is what you make of it! For us personally, we love that there is great music, somewhere in the city every night of the week, and we’re lucky enough to be a part of that.

See Tic Tic Boom! play at the Los Angeles “How Do You Do?” Keds Event in UCLA’s Wilson Plaza at 12:30pm on March 30th. - Keds Shoes

I like Tic Tic Boom!, they’re not too poppy, and while many of their songs are fun dance tunes, nearly each one also has legit teeth and a dissonant bite.

When I first started listening, I figured that I’d likely drift off and away from a bunch of songs comprised of a series of short, predictably redundant synth-pop phrases punctuated with random notes and chords. Tic Tic Boom! surprised me though and caught me off guard with several very dynamic, purposeful and musically engaging tunes.

“Just Friends” begins with a fairly vanilla guitar riff like something Chris Martin would write, but relief comes when the song builds quickly into a rich wall of sound grounded by a very cogent and gettable beat. It’s a dynamic quality that brings to mind CLOR, (RIP) in a way.

The band continues to keep it interesting as the verse begins; the tone darkens, harmonies grow dissonant and the orchestration becomes sparse, somewhat reminiscent of Siouxsie and the Banshees. Before things get too tense, however, the pendulum swings back and everything brightens up again.

This LA-based quartet of Leilani Francisco (vox, synth) Mike DeLay (Guitar, vox), Matt Gurgol (Bass), and Morrison Nichols (Drums) will soon be making it’s first trip to Austin, TX’s SXSW – so congrats gang. Austin’s a great town and SXSW is a heck of a time. If you’re headed to Austin, I’d definitely try to see them if you can.
- Take Care Pink Elephant

Picture it: you’re perched at the end of the bar at the dark and historically awesome The Viper Room and a bright young man bounds up to you asking your name followed by a bitty and equally vibrant female. Both are dressed in all black which is in stark contrast to their glowing smiles and twinkling eyes. The absolutely charming pair are Mike DeLay (guitar, vox) and Leilani Francisco (synth, lead vox) aka Tic Tic Boom! an LA electro-pop band that played to the packed house for the release party of their EP Reasons & Rhymes.

Tic Tic Boom! got off to a shaky start as instruments drowned out Francisco’s playful yet strong vocals but by the end of their 7ish-song set the balance of the two was spot-on perfect. Supported by Matt Gurgol (bass) and Morrison Nichols (drums) the duo performed songs not only from Reasons & Rhymes but also from their 2008 EP How To Defuse A Bomb. Their music is feel-good synthy pop which really doesn’t come as a surprise after having met the genuinely happy wonder twins. They are a young band in need of a bit of refinement, which I have no doubt will come as they build their show portfolio. LA audiences, mark your calendars as you can catch Tic Tic Boom! in the near future as they will be playing again at The Green Door in Hollywood on February 3rd.
- The Owl Mag

Local indie synth band Tic Tic Boom! take to The Viper Room's stage to wow a Sunset Strip crowd with their newly discovered penchant for a more Passion Pit-esque feel. Leaving behind some of their former punk gusto and embracing a slower tempo that is more synthesizer friendly, Leilani Francisco and Mike DeLay are now making music that grabs the attention of not just L.A.'s Sunset Strip crowd, but also its eastside faction. With catchy, quirky hooks belted by Leilani and Mike's heavily layered production - Tic Tic Boom are hoping their DIY efforts turn some heads in 2011. - SuperGoodMusic.com

The first thing that came to mind when I heard about the band Tic Tic Boom! was a cheer my friends and I used to do back in elementary school. Yes, at one point in my life I wanted to be a cheerleader..I was a loud and energetic kid, and thought it was a good idea at the time. Anyway, the phase lasted like five minutes. So we would do this cheer that got us all hyped up and flaring our arms like crazy people. That’s what I thought about before listening to the band. I expected their sound to be reflective of how I felt at that age. And in Tic Tic Boom!’s EP Reasons & Rhymes, I can hear the youthful angst that I kept hidden during my private school days. The Hollywood-based group meshes synth pop with garage rock while lead singer Leilani Francisco whispers and bellows out catchy choruses. The sophomore EP comprises of five tracks, including “The Pattern,” “The Open,” “180 Degrees,” “The Floodgate” and “Just Friends.” The indie pop foursome releases Reasons & Rhymes this Monday at The Viper Room.

Listen to: “The Floodgate”

More info. at http://www.ticticboommusic.com.
- The Vinyl District

A while back a friend sent me a link to a fun powerpop song “Me and You” by LA locals Tic Tic Boom! I dug it but let it sink into the archives of cool-local-bands-I-should-be seeing-live-but-never-seem-to-get-around-to. Thankfully, Tic Tic Boom! is back at it with an endearing EP collection of sweet electro-pop-tacular songs, REASONS & RHYMES. The four-member group maintains their powerpop feel with fresh electronic arrangements. The switch to synthpop results in a somewhat more refined sound despite the same simple, almost childlike vocals featured in their earlier work. This time, digging into my archive won’t be necessary as Tic Tic Boom! will be playing at The Viper Room on January 17th at their EP release party. Calendar, inked.
- The Owl Mag