Luis Dubuc, the man behind the indie pop/electronica project Mystery Skulls, isn’t afraid of embracing his inner geek. “My nerdiness knows no bounds,” he tweeted last Wednesday. And he doesn’t stop there. Take the name he chose to represent his music — Mystery Skulls — and the cover to his only release: 2011’s EP is of the famed children’s TV show villain Skeletor. Dubuc doesn’t fear dancing all by himself. But with his throbbing bass lines and fairy-dusted hooks, he won’t be the only one expressing himself on the dance floor.
Joined by fellow electronic pop wizard Robert DeLong, Mystery Skulls is set to ignite Portland’s Star Theatre with kerosene cans of synthesizers and bass. DeLong’s mantra is “Did I make you fucking dance,” and you can anticipate a resounding yes.
Before there was Mystery Skulls there was The Secret Handshake. Dubuc’s first musical project was geared toward contemporary soul glazed with an electronic configuration. The Secret Handshake saw moderate success throughout the 2000s, but Dubuc abandoned it for Mystery Skulls in September of 2011 when he tweeted, “So by this point its obvious but TSH is pretty much over. done with the past. proud of what i accomplished but ready to move on.” Four months later he released Mystery Skull’s EP.
The standout track from EP is the lovely and funky “Beautiful.” Featuring an instantly catchy staccato piano melody and lyrics like “You know my love is true/ Because it only works on you,” “Beautiful” is one jam that will keep you moving, waving away the thought that your body is tired from too much dancing.
Both Dubuc and DeLong record and play every instrument on their records as well as have a history in drumming. Their songs lead with a heavy beat or the crack of a snare, two sounds that are the bread and butter of dance music.
The marriage of vintage funk and synth-pop is a holy matrimony with Mystery Skulls. Dubuc digs deep in the crates to find inspiration and grooves to match. Last January, he tweeted out “Current headphone jams,” with a picture of “The Saga Continues” by electro funk musician Roger Troutman.
The week is long and the weekend ends too fast, so when any opportunity arises to spend time on the dance floor, with the vibe out and flowing, you’ve got to take it. Mystery Skulls and Robert DeLong are two rising artists in the land of electronica so don’t miss this opportunity to say, “I saw them first” in the city that coined the phrase.
Mystery Skulls plays with Robert DeLong 9 p.m. Saturday Jan. 25, at the Star Theatre in Portland; $13.