With its emphasis on synthesizers and impassioned boy-girl vocals, Defend Moscow's retro-minded pop recalls the sounds of Human League, Pet Shop Boys, and other stalwarts of British dance music. The band took root in early 2007, when longtime friends Jon Beck and Dave Fawbert began using Fawbert's synthesizer to write songs. Once the two had amassed enough synth pop material, they opened their doors to new members, including Norwegian vocalist Sofie Storaas (who relocated to the U.K. to join the group) and drummer Adam Pickering, a student at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. Bassist Rick Elmos was the last to join the multinational quintet, which began releasing material via Fawbert's own KIDS label. ~ Andrew Leahey