Long-dormant futurepop duo XP8 made a surprise return yesterday with a new release called TWENTY. It’s their first new music since calling it quits in 2014.
TWENTY features two new songs, “Back to Light” and “Lockdown Logic,” along with a rave remix of “Lockdown Logic.” Grendel’s JD Tucker provides additional production on “Back to Light.”
The songs were created to mark XP8’s twentieth anniversary, which unfortunately arrived at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Bandmembers Marco Visconti and Marko Resurreccion, who live in different cities now, remained in touch via Zoom and decided to create new music to celebrate their inception.
But don’t get too excited. TWENTY is an unexpected, one-off release that marks the finale of XP8. “Yeah we know, we said it before. This time we are quite sure of it,” they write.
XP8’s last release was a trilogy of EPs called the Alchemy Series that explored the phases of the alchemical process, transforming metals into other substances like gold.
For me, XP8’s magnum opus remains their final full-length album, Adrenochrome, which was one of my favorite releases of 2013. Adrenochrome was a conceptual album based on an original cyperpunk novella that was included in the release. Songs like “Camden Town” and “Hunters” are still bangers today, and final track “Inside Their Heads” is a phenomenal futurepop anthem.
I was disappointed when XP8 ended, but at least they went out on a high night. And it’s nice to have these last two songs from them.
You can find TWENTY on Bandcamp.
