The Syncopation Rebels take Goldfrapp’s Number 1 out for a late-night spin on their Vespas in the supergroup’s latest single and video — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Choosing a song to put your own signature or stamp on can be daunting. One often has to walk the line between not being a mirror image of the original but not going overboard and completely renovating the arrangement. For the stylishly highbrow pop collective The Syncopation Rebels, they’ve walked that line perfectly with this shimmering, infectious cover.
The international group, consisting of Toronto-based Martha And The Muffins members Martha Johnson and Mark Gane, British vocalist Chloe Kay (ex-This Sound Will Save You), Toronto’s Alex Exists (Nursery, Ruby Spirit) and Trinidad-born, Kitchener-based retro funkmeister John Orpheus, have outdone themselves. While Goldfrapp’s original 2005 version was fueled by a synth groove, this revamp ups the ante by upping the tempo.
“My initial reaction after hearing the original version by Goldfrapp was that we should speed up the tempo and vary the underlying chord structure a bit, which helped with the dynamics and arrangement,” Gane says. “The unique tonalities and personalities of the singers really helped to add different colours to the song as well.”
“This track radiates that unmistakable Bolan-esque cool, capturing the carefree energy of summer nights when you and your partner feel on top of the world,” Exists adds. “It’s a bold, unapologetic love anthem about showing someone they’re your number one and you’d do anything to prove it. It’s a song made for those moments when love feels invincible.”
Number 1 shines thanks to the summery feel and cavity-inducing structure. The female/male dual vocals throughout bring to mind bands like Stars, Roxette and The Human League as Johnson, Gane, Orpheus, Exists and Kay all provide vocals to the jewel with a chorus that’s pure synth pop heaven. As Johnson says, Exists added “his cool crooner voice,” Orpheus “sang his verse with warmth and richness” while she “added a layer of temptation to my delivery” of the suggestive lyrics. “We all circled around the mic for the choruses, putting a cherry on top of this sundae song. When Chloe sang her haunting contribution in her home studio in the U.K., it lifted the song into another plane.”
Gane also provides electric guitar, while Exists adds piano and acoustic guitar. Mike Schlosser (who produced, recorded, and mixed the cut) played keyboards, bass, guitars, percussion, and added programming while Joel Jeschke played drums. Originally written by Alison Goldfrapp and William Owen Gregory for Goldfrapp’s Supernature album, this version was recorded at Edmonton’s Little Noise and Toronto’s Revolution Recording. Reuben Ghose mastered the track at Toronto’s Mojito Mastering.
Number 1 is the second release by The Syncopation Rebels, who formed for Popguru Sound & Vision’s silver anniversary. With the members having worked together in various combinations over the years, Schlosser, a Juno-nominated producer, had previously worked with Orpheus, Exists, and Kay. From there Johnson and Gane, who also worked with the other members over the years, were invited to participate in the group. The Syncopation Rebels’ cover of David Bowie’s Sound And Vision, released in 2023, garnered over half a million views.
The video for Number 1 was produced by Moon Real Media and directed by Agata Waclawska. Watch it above, listen to the song below, and follow The Syncopation Rebels on Instagram.
