Music
Press
Mink Engine’s latest electro pop release, Acres Of Diamonds, is set to make inroads into the overcrowded genre of electro pop. The ‘80sesque sound, laden with synths and drum machines, achieves the duo’s goal of creating a hyper technicolour beast rampaging through my mind, if I concentrate enough. Askii (Adam Milburn) and Touch Me Tiger (Holly-Anne Buck) let their tweaked speech liven up most of the tracks while in others the generally mild bass and electronic tidbits do their work. However, their simple and catchy lyrics serve the purpose of breaking up the tracks and keep things interesting. Through their sugary and floaty lyrics they seek to communicate an (unexpected) variety of moral messages regarding the futility of fame, the dangers of over indulgence and arrogance and the mind-controlling society we live in. And they do this using a host of fun characters; Dick Chicken, Cakehead, Dr Daikon and Mutant Apples. The Melbourne based duo’s decidedly arty background reverberates through their album, film clips and website. TMT is responsible for the group’s computer generated surrealist-pop-art-collage with hints of ‘80s video game graphics with a smattering of Warhol that make for a truly individual visual display. This visual element is a massive component in all their work, apparently coming into full effect in live shows. I reckon the Engine’s tracks will not be long from dance floors and will ride neatly alongside MGMT, The Presets and Midnight Juggernauts. - BMA Magazine (ACT Australia)
Some hipsters blow smoke up the collective arse of this Melburinian electro-pop duo for making an impact in the global scene. Some well-dressed types dig them 'cos their dance-based sound is more "now" than an iPhone with an espresso-making app. But around the People office, the Mink Engineers mainly get props for naming a tune Dick Chicken. - People Magazine
While their name may conjure thoughts of They Might Be Giants’ 2001 foray into slightly electronic territory (Mink Car), it’s via an all-in and outrageously indulgent electro landscape that Melbourne duo Mink Engine can be located. More than simply a band, Mink Engine is the collaborative multi-media venture between Askii (Adam Milburn) and Touch Me Tiger (Holly-Anne Buck) – an eclectic synth-forced beast that has been unfolding in both clubs and online since 2002.
Acres Of Diamonds fuses a cosmic and imposing array of sounds to produce a unique electro-pop party proposition for 2010. The album inspires all manner of comparisons: Pet Shop Boys, autoKratz, Fischerspooner, Ladytron and Danger among them. Parallels aside, Milburn and Buck’s uniform vision for contemporary dancefloor art and noise stands very much on its own. The range and diversity on offer is so great that a link to any single act (sonic or otherwise) would be doing the band an injustice.
Opening with the demonic electroclash sprawl of ‘Attractor Factor’, then ‘Jooga’, the Acres… journey steps off on dark terrain. Discussion of concussion, destruction and all things electro-kitsch is complemented by a jewel-encrusted synthesised backing, which by halfway is tempered to a murky, new wave discothèque sentiment. ‘Up Up Up’ and ‘Dick Chicken’ take the album (44 minutes in total) to a turn where the breaks are shorter and the beats harder, before relative closure is brought by the final two (and rather disappointing) tracks.
Although damp, the ending is well supported by the lustre that precedes it – all of which is poised to deliver genuine glee to the listener. - Impress Magazine
Local crowd Mink Engine have just squeezed out their first album Acres of Diamonds. The Mink Engine sound is a catchy mix of 80's synth pop and flange heavy vocals. I'm happy to report the album doesn't disappoint - the look is pop art absurdist and the sound is bang up to date, making Melbourne duo Adam Milburn and Holly-Anne Buck emergent forerunners for your ears. Crowd favourites like Dick Chicken and Superpad make an appearance on the album which will be particularly good news for anyone who got along to Parklife or Good Vibrations to see their live show. While tunes on the album retain a characteristically similar sound, there is enough vibe variation from track to track to make it worth dropping a few dollars on to support a local act, while getting some good music at the same time. - Beat Magazine
Discography
Mink Engine have just released their first full length album 'Acres of Diamonds'. The first single 'Dick Chicken' was a AA side featuring 'Superpad' also. Both tracks have had significant airplay on radio Australia wide. Including play on the Austereo network, mainstream radio. The videos from these tracks have been played on Rage TV, Channel 31, and Channel V.
The next single from Acres o Diamonds is 'We Like the Hi-Fi' which the band have a very good feeling about. They have just signed a deal with iTunes U to distribute 100,000 copies of this song across Australia. WLTHF is a dancefloor favourite and comes with 2 hit remixes.
Check out the press kit for We Like the Hi-Fi here
http://www.beatbroker.com.au/projects.php?projectid=373
Mink Engine Acres of Diamonds, Album 06.03.2010
Mink Engine We Like The Hi-Fi, Video Single 08.02.2010
Mink Engine Jooga (Remixed), Video Single 08.02.2010
Mink Engine Superpad, Video Single 07.12.2009
Mink Engine Dick Chicken, Single 18.12.2009
Mink Engine Attractor Factor, Single 11.09.2009
Mink Engine The One, Single 09.06.2008
Mink Engine HOT 4 U, Album 23.06.2008
Mink Engine Jooga, Single 14.12.2007
Mink Engine Retouch, Single 14.12.2007
Mink Engine Bomb that Palace, Single 14.12.2007
Dsico Minkulations (Mink Engine Version) 01.11.2005
Mink Engine Gastronomical, EP 12.06.2005
Photos
Bio
Having played across Europe, Asia and all the big Aussie festivals including Parklife and Good Vibrations, if you haven’t heard of Melbourne electro-pop sensation - Mink Engine - then it's time to get with the program people! Now gearing up for the release of their second artist album ‘Acres of Diamonds’ mixed by local producer Lindsay Gravina (The Living End, Thirsty Merc, Magic Dirt) of Birdland Studios Melbourne, Mink Engine are a musical force to be reckoned with.
Mink Engine is the creative duo comprising Askii (Adam Milburn) and Touch Me Tiger (Holly-Anne Buck). Together they are innovative and boundary pushing multi-media collaboration that produce outstanding electro-pop tunes as well as videos, narrative, websites, animation and characters. Askii’s professional background is in film soundtrack and concept albums and Touch Me Tiger’s background in fine art; combined, the duo are a powerful force creating television commercials (they recently created one for the State Library of Victoria), original art and websites. With their expertise in high demand, they set up Chez Mink Studio, the birthplace of their album ‘Acres Of Diamonds’.
Mink Engine first erupted onto the Asian dance music scene in 2002, and instantaneously began headlining shows at infamous venues like Tokyo’s fashionista clubs ‘Vanity’ and ‘Orbit’ as well as Shanghai’s ‘Glamour Bar’ for their 10th Birthday in. In Japan, they soon became known as the ‘Broken Glass Dancefloor Project’ where overexcited fans smashed countless champagne glasses to their music. Their international success spread to Europe after the release of their ‘Gastronomical’ EP. This tour saw them perform their high energy shows from London where they performed at Nag Nag Nag to Berlin for Fusion Festival.
On stage, Mink Engine delivers an audiovisual performance encompassing eccentricity and flair in all aspects. Askii is on vocals and synths, Touch Me Tiger is on vocals and works her image projecting keytar while DJ Safari (Gazpacho, Sorry Grandma) mixes the beats. Imagine a stage full of giant bananas, drag queens and monkeys playing air guitar while electro pop tunes thunder out of the amps to captive and elated crowds - this colourful and vibrant performance is a standard Mink Engine live show.
With their trademark dance beats, 80s style synth, a futuristic undertone, and the captivating voices of both Askii and Touch Me Tiger, the album is sure to capture the imagination of music enthusiasts far and wide. Having already proven themselves at sweaty mosh pits of festivals as well as at the local bar, Mink Engine is challenging the traditional methods of release, with the album ‘Acres of Diamonds’ being delivered entirely digitally.
The first single from the release will be a double A-side featuring the tracks ‘Superpad’ and ‘Dick Chicken’. Dick Chicken is the tale of an empowered, escapee piece of fried chicken who rises to the top against the odds, and turns the tables on the chicken-munching public. Because the video is M rated, Mink Engine have decided to release a second track and video with it, Superpad. Superpad is the story of a classic dance battle. With some fantastic choreography and a fairytale ending – there’s something for everyone to enjoy! Together this release makes the perfect party megamix for 2010!
The moving parts of Mink Engine are just warming up, in time for Aussie summer and with the release of ‘Acres of Diamonds’ will be getting ready to crank it up to high speed…
Check out http://www.minkengine.com
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