Golden Girls

Matthew Vlahovich is a busy guy. As the sole singer, keyboardist, and composer of Golden Girls, Vlahovich discovered his knack for retro-synth pop while armed with a children’s toy keyboard in Brussels, Belgium in early 2007, or so the story goes. Upon his return home to Canada, Golden Girls found a Casio ToneBank keyboard in his parents’ basement and proceeded to record a six-song EP in the next 24 hours.

For hipsters looking for fast-paced, throwback synth pop, Golden Girls’ sound is very much in tune with Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, and The Cure. His minimalist accompaniment (simple back beat and basic chords) matches his bare but eager vocals, as heard on the single “The Asian Kids” off his debut EP, Kill the Criminal. His newer songs, off a yet-to-be-named 2009 record, have a bit more meat to them. Accompaniment on songs like “Dance with Me” and “The Big League” feature more complex rhythms, hand claps, pre-recorded backup vocals, and much more excitement from the keyboards.

If you are or were a fan of heart-pumping ‘80s synth pop and want to get your adrenaline running on the dance floor, check out Golden Girls as he plays multiple nights in Toronto and Montreal this fall. For a complete list of tour dates, check out Golden Girls’ MySpace page at www.myspace.com/GoldenGirlsKill.