Lettercamp

Lettercamp hit the main stage about an hour after FAWN with a complex setup of lighting and six-foot tall white canvases. Lettercamp is the brainchild of songstress Lizzie Wittman who made a name for herself playing bass in Cleveland indie-pop band Kiddo and then in Detroit’s Friendly Foes. Lettercamp is a big departure for Lizzie who wanted creative control over the song writing process. The songs have a heavy electronic beat with airy synths and a crunchy punch of bass to solidify the groove. Their sound ran the gamut of heavier bands like Refused or newer Nine Inch Nails all the way to dance grooves of LCD Soundsystem or Electric Six. Lizzie was even able to channel her inner Bjork as she belted out vocals in a register that not many frontwomen can approach.

The backing band for Lettercamp’s live show featured members from other well-known Detroit acts; Matt Lannoo (Nice Device/Von Bondies), Derek Dorey (Millions of Brazilians) and Pan!c (PasCal/Johnny Headband). These three created the perfect ambiance for Lizzie to unleash her sexual prowess by crooning and dancing behind the back-lit canvases. The pink light with black silhouette combination left plenty to the audiences imagination. It was refreshing to see something so simple made this live show stand out from the hundreds of shows I’ve seen in the past. To close out the night, Lettercamp paid tribute to the recently broken-up White Stripes by giving a seductive makeover to Stripes tune, “The Denial Twist”.

- The Romeo Times

Made it back in time for Lettercamp. The sultry, Siouxsie and the Banshee-winking (pop-era) electro-pop four-piece had the huge crowd swaying while singer Liz Wittman slithered gracefully (in hot pants no less) across the stage belting out echoed melodies and chirps (not quite as pejorative as that sounds).

- Metrotimes

Lettercamp were the stars of a strong Blowout 14 kick off party last night.
While the EEKS, FAWN and Secret Twins all put in excellent performances, Lettercamp were simply awe-inspiring. I’ll be checking them out at every opportunity from now on. I had heard comparisons to Bjork, but Goldfrapp seem closer, mixed with some heavy-as-fuck industrial guitar. With a sleazy male singer, they’d sound a lot like My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult in parts. Whatever, they were great last night.
- Metrotimes

#9: Lettercamp “I Know” (from Raccoon Panda LP) »
This is one of those new bands, like many, who have members of previous bands that were pretty cool. Lettercamp has a synth-heavy dance pop sound, and “I Know” is catchy as fuck! - The Loop Detroit

More new(ish) here. I don’t know much about Lettercamp. They’re from Detroit, they land somewhere in the middle between Goldfrapp and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs more recent synthpop stuff, with maybe a touch of the old Trip Hop days, someone like the Sneaker Pimps. There’s one track in particular on the album called Fool For Long which is a slinky bass propelled lovely sexy little thing; I listened to it constantly on repeat yesterday for about an hour…

There is a Myspace here and if you follow the link below and click on either of the two album covers you will find their album and remix albums available for free download.

- The Songs That People Sing

’ve been listening to this record for a couple of weeks now, and it still sounds fresh and interesting. I love the voice; it’s electrifying and very sensual. The vocalist’s name is Liz, I exchanged a few e-mail with her. Lettercamp hail from Detroit, I wonder which side of the 8 mile they reside on. :) You don’t usually hear of many electro/pop acts from that city. Raccoon Panda is totally danceable, the songs are fast and full of energy; also, there is variety on the record, and Liz’s voice is the unifying touch, she makes everything sound sexy and fun.

In the second part of the record, the band takes a more melancholic approach, with songs about heartbreaks and sadness. Failure is a beautiful ballad; you can feel Liz in real emotional pain here. But this track is rather atypical for Raccoon Panda; in general the album is casual and optimistic. And I really enjoy it; it has a relaxing effect on me. - My Indie Music Blog

Lettercamp - Raccoon Panda (Five Three Dial Tone)
Historically, Detroit music has been renowned for its love of cranked up, dirty guitars. But as of late, a new crop of '80s-obsessed bands have emerged, cranking out dreamy tracks on their MacBooks and playing in disheveled art galleries. On the classier side of this group is the Liz Wittman-lead Lettercamp – a buzzed about electro-pop quartet that takes Bjork's herky-jerk and smooths it out into danceable bangers that Lady Gaga might have written, had she been really into Autechre instead of Madonna.

- Patch.com

Raccoon Panda – Lettercamp

Five Three Dial Tone Records

So, say you don't like country, rock or indie rock. What is there to listen to in Detroit? Well, if you're in the market for some perfectly crafted electro-pop, look no further than Lettercamp. Fronted by Liz Wittman, whose sultry yet demure voice echoes above the melodic electro beats, Lettercamp released their debut LP, Raccoon Panda, this past summer to rave reviews — and there's no doubt that your sassy best friend who loves to dance would give the same kudos once you hand it over in shiny gift wrapping. The quartet's honest lyrics and sexy sound is even more apparent in their live show — which is a must see. - Real Detroit

6. Lettercamp – Call It Off
Lettercamp was by far my favorite act to come out of Detroit in 2010. “Call It Off” (free mp3) has indie anthem potential punctuated by Liz Whitman’s inescapable voice and a glittering synth hook that is damn near addictive. - JayelAudio

1. Lettercamp, Raccoon Panda (Five Three Dial Tone): Raccoon Panda is not the character name Liz Witman uses at furry conventions, but Lettercamp is the name of her sensational dance pop outfit. The world went Robyn crazy this year, but definitely check out the dance music diva that's right here in Detroit. - Metrotimes

I’ve been keeping an eye on Five Three Dial Tone, a record label based out of the Detroit area for the past year or so. I love what they are doing with their vinyl releases - always adding a unique (and limited) element to almost every release. Their latest record, Lettercamp’s Raccoon Panda, is no exception. I picked up the 10” on a whim as I was visiting the label’s store mainly to grab the Deastro 7” before it was all bought up. The record comes in a multitude of marbled colors and some of them even sport a limited alternate cover and cloth record sleeve. The music itself has a 90’s electro-pop vibe to it (Poe or Morcheeba anyone?) with Liz Wittman’s lighthearted vocals being surrounded by basic dance beats and even fragile, acoustic balladry on one track (Fragile). This might also appeal to fans of local Philly pop-punk outfit Zolof The Rock and Roll Destroyer if for nothing but Liz and Rach sharing playful vocal styles and kinetic energy.

You can pick up the 10” from the FTDT web store for a mere $8 or you can acquire Raccoon Panda (and a few other albums) as a pay-what-you-want download from Five Three Dial Tone’s bandcamp. Kudos to the band and label for putting together such a nice package!

(P.S. - The guys from the label also have a very informative music blog for those of you anchored down in the Motor City) - Beat the Indie Drum

Time to show some love for the local musicians out there. Believe it or not, despite the fact that most acts skip over Detroit on their tours, we’ve got a pretty vibrant local music scene. Below is a really great song/video from a new local project called lettercamp which is a new electro-pop project from Liz Wittman (who plays bass in Friendly Foes, a pretty big local band). Lettercamp will be releasing a 10? later this summer on Five Three Dial Tone Records and will be labelmates with another dailybeatz favorite, Deastro (in his original form. We don’t much care for his new incarnation as a band that we witnessed a few months back)!

I really like the darkness of this song (I wish I could describe songs in ways other than dark and bright), and I feel that this awesome video (coincidentally done by my grade school pal and off the heezy visual artist Dan DeMaggio) perfectly encapsulates the tone of this song, and that it looks just like it sounds. Check it out and show some local love if you got it. And we do. - dailybeatz

I’ve obviously been a big fan of Lettercamp since my ears encountered their great brand of indie pop this winter. “Fool For Long” was one of the first tracks I was hooked on, so I was a little hesitant for a remix. Luckily, Royal Bangs gave a certain swing to the already catchy song that made it impossible not to like.

Get it at the Royal Bangs Bandcamp or below.
Lettercamp – Fool For Long (Royal Bangs Remix)
Lettercamp – Fool For Long (original)
Lettercamp‘s debut album, Raccoon Panda is currently available digitally on iTunes, eMusic and Amazon. Limited Edition 10? coming later this summer.
Lettercamp Upcoming Tour Dates
July 17th – The Crofoot – Pontiac, MI
July 30th – Billy Bobs – Dayton, OH
August 19th – F***ing Awesome Fest – Detroit, MI - JayeL Audio

Lettercamp and Five Three Dial Tone Records have tried to keep this under wraps for as long as possible, but Lettercamp‘s “Raccoon Panda” has been remixed by members of LCD Soundsystem, Sloan, Electric Six, Royal Bangs and K-OS, as well as Daniel Johnson and Musicontrol. If you look hard enough, you can find the Royal Bangs and Daniel Johnson remixes online, but the entire collection of remixes will be packaged with the 10? vinyl that you can pick up at the FREE Lettercamp performance September 18 during D.I.Y. Street Fair at The Peach Pit. I’m just giving you something to look forward to while promoting my own DFA-endorsed vanity label. - Eat This City

I came upon this delicious slice of electro-pop by Detroit based band Lettercamp, and it has kept my ears satisfied ever since. It's music for the naughty and nocturnal - precisely my kind of treat. If you're familiar with the band Friendly Foes, you'll recognize Liz Wittman's voice. This solo project of hers has allowed her to experiment within darker realms of music, and she can definitely hold her own. Lettercamp blends crisp synths, sharp riffs and harsh hooks to create a unique brand of dance pop. It doesn't disappoint. Lettercamp's new album, Raccoon Panda, is slated to be released on Five Three Dial Tone Records after September 18th, but you can pre-order here. - Cecilia De Cardenas - Off The Radar

I was poking around the internet last night and ran across Detroit synth pop band Lettercamp. Some of you from the area might know this better as Liz Wittman’s (Friendly Foes) solo debut, but this is my first introduction to her. It’s catchy and it’s got a fresh air about it, so I’m sold. - Matt Jordon - You Aint No Picasso

"Fi-errr Fight-er!" Singer/songwriter Liz Wittman has proven her proficiency in pop (Kiddo, Friendly Foes), but never before has she gotten to belt in such a way, as to flex a flare for a darker, atmospheric, Euro-pop-informed electronica. Her wispy vocals tease in a coy cadence over intricate beats from techno pulse ("Call it Off") to more austere marches ("You Won't Want Me"). Her characteristic rolling bass bolsters the winding synths of the most purely-pop entry, "Fool For Long," while the funk-furled parade "Operator" brings in sass and soul. The gurgle of computers and tireless running beats sizzle throughout, but there's still space and a bit of a lo-fi aesthetic. The head-bobbing melody and shimmering guitars of "I Know" seem culled straight out of some new-wave pop/rock thing, but "First Kiss" is a sultrier euro-pop space-orchestra. If buoyant indie-pop isn't your bag, you could still take heart in the explosive synthesizers (aided on record by Jon Weird and Adam Cox), or the intergalactic surf funk guitars of E6's Zach Shipps, or the circuit bent static of Child Bite's Shawn Knight. Out on 10" vinyl; translated live with Wittman's lead vocals, Derek Dorey's bass, Shane Ford's electronics and Matt Lannoo's guitar. 9/18 at the DIY Street Fair. — Jeff Milo - Real Detroit