Friends since attending elementary school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser were members of Automato, a rap group whose last releases, including a self-titled album released in 2003, were produced by the DFA's James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy. After Automato dissolved, Murphy and Goldsworthy encouraged Frankel and Millhiser to continue pushing toward dance music. The duo’s uncanny ability to evoke the colorful, layered sound of early- to mid-‘80s club music is evident on their 2011 self-titled album, which included some of their previously released songs, as well as a guest appearance from the Michael McDonald on the closing "Some Children.” ~ Andy Kellman