Crooks on Tape – “Duper” (stream) (PopMatters premiere)

There’s something both vitally novel as well as uncannily familiar about “Duper”, a new track by the newish band Crooks on Tape. That’s because Crooks on Tape is the latest project from John Schmersal, a key player in fondly remembered indie eccentrics Brainiac and Enon, the latter which he founded. While the scuzzed-out, bottom-heavy riffing and Schmerzel’s screech-sung vocals hearken back to the beloved acts he was a part of, the warped experimental pop on “Duper” radiates with a bristling energy that can only be of the moment.

Premiering here, “Duper” comes from Crooks on Tape’s forthcoming album Fingerprint, due for release on 22 October via Misra Records.