GGOOLLDD

GGOOLLDD’s sleek sound struck me back in 2014 with the great track “Younger Days“, a masterful blend of ’80s post-punk with more recent synth-pop infatuations (Frankie Rose was a good comparison at the time). The past year or so has found the Milwaukee-based group refining their sound even more, gravitating more toward the synth-pop spectrum and wonderfully dancing the fine line between ultimate radio-friendly accessibility and impressive stylistic ingenuity. Vocalist Margaret Butler is in command throughout their new EP’s 17 minutes, her impressive range and passion highlighting tracks from shimmering stunner “City Lights” to enthusiastic party-time opener “All Night”.

All four tracks on the For the Night EP are tops, though it’s particularly easy to marvel at the punchy magic of “All Night”. Synth stabs and Butler’s effect-laden vocals gently get things started, with a perfect storm of automated percussion and glitzy synths stomping forth at 00:39, topped off with a chilling guitar line. Here, Butler lightens up on the theatrics, going more for a melodically pleasing pop delivery as hinting “we could do this all night / we could this until the sunrise.” The feeling of staying out all night and relishing youth has been done before by artists like M83, but few pull it off as infectiously and genuinely as GGOOLLDD on the superb “All Night” - Mike Mimeo-Obscure Sound

Depending on who in the music industry you ask, you will get a variety of answers about the right way to grow as a band, to launch an artist, build your fanbase etc. While some may have tried and tested techniques, there isn’t really one surefire guarantee of quality and / or success. That said, we reckon most, if not all, the people you ask in music industry would say one guaranteed way not to be successful is to book yourself a headline show before you’ve even written a song. Yet that is exactly the approach Milwaukee based synth-poppers GGOOLLDD took and to hell with logic, the results are fabulous.

In playing said headline show (a 2013 Halloween party, it was supposed to be a one off) the GGOOLLDD gang found they had inadvertently pushed a snowball down the mountain and it was already getting bigger and gathering momentum. Show followed show and soon the band found themselves in need of additional members (they started without a drummer) as well as tunes. Thankfully both came quickly and last year they released the superbly uptempo $tandard$ EP. The snowball has kept rolling though and now a new single and video have been added to its increasing mass and drive.

New track “Boyz” is blissfully bright and playful. It’s big and bouncy with a hook that sounds like a rainbow; an explosion of colour and sound with synths, guitars and beats detonating together in a joyful blast of pop magnificence. Vibrant doesn’t really do it justice as the drums cascade, horns blare out euphorically and the vocals flat out smile. It’s glorious stuff and even though the temperature is gradually rising, that snowball shows no signs of stopping or melting. - Alphabet Bands

In the past few months, an electro-synth indie group from Wisconsin has been getting a lot of attention in their hometown of Milwaukee. With its immense and extremely diverse music scene, Milwaukee is the perfect breeding ground for a band destined to play sold out shows. However, the city has an unfortunately special way of holding onto talent and never letting go. It’s almost as if there are so many bands to choose from, that some just get lost in the shuffle. GGOOLLDD (simply pronounced “gold”) is on a mission to get out, and they’re making huge strides since the release of their debut EP, $tandard$. They won Song of the Year 2014 at the 88Nine RadioMilwaukee Music Awards for their song “Bling Ring,” recently signed to Gloss Records for their latest single “Boyz,” and just released the single’s music video the other day. But today’s track of the day is the one that truly helped this writer to discover GGOOLLDD, and it’s called “Gold.”

One of those songs whose melody gets stuck in your head and embeds itself into your entire being, “Gold” makes it impossible not to dance. Paired with simple and clear lyrics, the track sings an anthem suggestive of a small town band trying to make it big, finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. “Gold” has a seamless ebb and flow to it, combining a strong start with smooth breakdowns and an unforgettable climax. Check it out! - Sensible Reason

Indie pop band GGOOLLDD from Milwaukee released a new song Boyz. “GGOOLLDD’s driving, catchy sound brings to mind the post punk flavors of Echo & The Bunnymen, the soaring dreaminess of M83, and some of the playful, sassy alt rock flavors of Metric, particularly on Younger Days” says I Heart Moosiq. GGOOLLDD has shared the stage with the likes of: Yelle, Yacht, Sylvan Esso, Har Mar Superstar, Strand of Oaks, The Family Crest, White Fang, Alvvays, Drowners, The Preatures, and The Polyphonic Spree among others. - Kings of A&R

GGoolldd has become a Kings favorite. Check out the track newly released track Younger Days. The sound can be described as a blend of dream-pop and post-punk with some synth-pop flourishes; comparisons have been made to M83, Frankie Rose, Echo & the Bunnymen. They just performed The Turner Hall Ballroom with The Polyphonic Spree, they have shared the stage with Drowners and Sylvan Esso. - Kings of A&R

Back in March, the airy, fun electro-pop tunes of GGOOLLDD caught our attention with their single Gold when it snagged a place on WMSE’s RPM playlist. The sweet female vocals pared with warm synth beats are back on GGOOLLDD’s brand new EP $tandard$, perfect for a dance party anywhere, from too many friends in the back of a car to the the warm neon glow of your favorite dance hall. - CMJ.COM

Each week the CMJ staff sifts through thousands of radio playlists that contribute to the weekly CMJ charts. In the Chart Discovery column, we highlight exciting artists, albums, and songs brought to our attention by the charts of our reporting panel of college and non-commercial radio stations. This round’s favorites come from WMSE in Milwaukee, WI and CFUV in Victoria, BC.

GGOOLLDD on WMSE
The week we found WMSE supporting local dance-dreamers GGOOLLDD in the No. 10 slot at RPM with the band’s sparkly single, Gold. That’s a ton of bling, and it’s obviously best visualized as a black flaming pumpkin seated on a bed of tin foil. Enjoy. - CMJ

In the past few months, an electro-synth indie group from Wisconsin has been getting a lot of attention in their hometown of Milwaukee. With its immense and extremely diverse music scene, Milwaukee is the perfect breeding ground for a band destined to play sold out shows. However, the city has an unfortunately special way of holding onto talent and never letting go. It’s almost as if there are so many bands to choose from, that some just get lost in the shuffle. GGOOLLDD (simply pronounced “gold”) is on a mission to get out, and they’re making huge strides since the release of their debut EP, $tandard$. They won Song of the Year 2014 at the 88Nine RadioMilwaukee Music Awards for their song “Bling Ring,” recently signed to Gloss Records for their latest single “Boyz,” and just released the single’s music video the other day. But today’s track of the day is the one that truly helped this writer to discover GGOOLLDD, and it’s called “Gold.”

One of those songs whose melody gets stuck in your head and embeds itself into your entire being, “Gold” makes it impossible not to dance. Paired with simple and clear lyrics, the track sings an anthem suggestive of a small town band trying to make it big, finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. “Gold” has a seamless ebb and flow to it, combining a strong start with smooth breakdowns and an unforgettable climax. Check it out! - Sensible Reason

GGOOLLDD wants you to have a good time. They are, as their Bandcamp wryly proclaims, “awesome, if you’re into that sort of thing.”

The Milwaukee-based six-piece independently released their debut EP, $TANDARD$, just two weeks ago thanks to the literal demands of their listeners, most likely screamed from the back of packed dance floors and tiny, beer-soaked venues. In anticipation of their August 16 set at Solskinn, we sat down to chat with most of GGOOLLDD. (Their bassist, Nick Ziemann, was modeling. Some people have it all.)

“We weren’t trying to be anything,” said Hunt. “We really started the project to throw a party for Halloween. The first song was released on October 24, and that day we hosted a party in this attic for our best buds.”

To their surprise, demands came rolling in for more live performances. With a fairly open Milwaukee scene, they were fortunately able to pick up shows across the city. “While Milwaukee is definitely a good-sized city, the clubs here are really welcoming,” said drummer Mark Stewart. “If you start a band and are enthusiastic about it and work hard at it, people are pretty willing to give you a chance to play.”

“We never really set out to make anything more than fun music on our own schedule,” said Hunt. “We never expected the amount of response we’re getting.”


Therein lies their charm: Despite the group’s rapid growth in live performances, their sound and style is imbued with a charming humility and carefree aura. $TANDARD$ has similarly humble beginnings, recorded primarily in their living room “on a lot of alcohol and late nights,” according to Hunt.

“We wanted it to be a party album,” said Butler. “A ‘life is fun’ album.”

And they certainly succeeded. Four glorious songs long, $TANDARD$ is a summer soundtrack filled to the brim with booming synths and infectious beats. Butler’s voice soars above it all, driving the party with remarkable energy and emotion.

“When we first started, Margret and I wanted to keep everything pretty positive,” said Hunt. “The first lyrics were ‘You’re good, you’re gold.’ We just tried to keep that in mind while we were expanding the sound of it.”

First-time listeners of the album can expect live-sound influences in addition to overarching positive, youth-centric themes. “The songs [for $TANDARD$] were done, and then the more we played, the more the live band aspect leaked into the actual record,” said Hunt. “And then it was like, how do we capture that super huge energy without a rock band?”

“I feel like our live shows are very energetic,” said Stewart. “That feel and vibe is definitely captured on the record, and that’s something I’m really excited about.”

If their rabid Milwaukee fans are any indication, audiences at this year’s Solskinn Music Festival can expect a good time. Butler hand-makes a new outfit for nearly every gig, and the group has attributed their momentum and drive to the desire to play new music for show-goers. “It’s gonna be super, super fun,” said Butler. “There’s no way you will not have one of the greatest nights of your life.”

Or, in the words of backing vocalist Thomas Gilbert, “Worst case scenario, it’s just really fun.” - Jonk Music

Yesterday’s 414 Music Live featured local group GGOOLLDD, who brought their lively brand of electro-pop to the Radio Milwaukee studio. Admittedly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from GGOOLLDD, but the massive crowd they attracted to their performance was my first indication that something awesome was about to take place. Sure enough, the six-piece crew took the stage and kicked off what would become a truly standout 414 Music Live session. GGOOLLDD’s shimmering guitars and bouncy bass lines embellished sleek electronic beats to create polished, precise, and unwaveringly powerful electro-pop designs. With a natural rock-goddess swagger and a sparkling gold microphone in hand, front woman and lead vocalist Margaret Butler carried the band through three electrifying tracks off their album $TANDARD$. Butler’s raw energy while performing live gave GGOOLLDD’s sound a layer of intensity that is somewhat uncommon in most electronic-based outfits, and will no doubt take the group far in their musical future. To sum it up, GGOOLLDD’s unique sound and energy makes them one Milwaukee band to keep on your radar as they continue to garner media attention. To learn more about GGOOLLDD, check out their Facebook page and grab their album on Bandcamp, - See more at: http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/414-music-live/414-music-live-review-ggoolldd#sthash.XVa3nl7E.dpuf - 88.9 Radio Milwaukee

Over the last six summers, Burnhearts’ Pabst Street Party has taken over a block of Potter Avenue in Bay View for an entire day, while having the audacity to coincide with the behemoth Summerfest. The block party that was initially centered around the outdoor enjoyment of a former (and never future) Milwaukee beer staple has quickly evolved to incorporate delicious food from area vendors, a local arts and craft fair, and live music from an increasingly awesome lineup of musicians. Past Pabst Street Party bookings have included reunion sets from The Promise Ring and Braid, as well as Mucca Pazza, Juniper Tar, Hugh Bob And The Hustle, and one of Space Raft’s first shows.

The seventh Burnhearts/Pabst Street Party—taking place Saturday, June 28, from noon to 8 p.m.—keeps with the block party’s theme of great music, good food, and fun whilst day-drinking the world’s favorite cheap beer. Fresh off the release of its outstanding debut album, Sylvan Esso (which features ex-Decibully member and Milwaukee ex-pat Nick Sanborn) will headline, narrowly removed from its European tour. GGOOLLDD will also play a set in preparation of its concert cruise gig. Head On Electric, Collections Of Colonies Of Bees, and newly reunited 1960s Milwaukee soul act Brothers By Choice—back after a 20-year hiatus—will also play the free event.

In addition to the music, food from Classic Slice, Honeypie, and Goodkind will be available. Cortney Heimerl will curate a craft fair in an adjacent Potter Street lot.

Burnhearts and Goodkind co-owner William “B.J.” Seidel says he’s “really excited about the lineup this year.” He also notes that a portion of the Pabst Street Party profits will be donated to the Bay View Neighborhood Association. We may not be able (or even want) to “Bring PBR Home,” but we’ve grown quite fond of its summer visits. - Milwaukee Record

Since the project played its first show just over nine months ago, GGOOLLDD has been privy to a wealth of positive local attention and cherry gigs ranging from beer-celebrating block parties, concert cruises, and an upcoming massive northeast Wisconsin music festival. Though swift, the young band’s still-increasing buzz is well-deserved, as formidable frontwoman Margaret Butler heaps oodles of vocal ferocity atop sleek and stylized electronic pop—all projected through a distinctly indie rock lens.

While GGOOLLDD is no stranger to listeners in Milwaukee (and beyond), the six-piece has yet to release anything—save for contributing its semi-titular “Gold” to a recent city-centric compilation—until now. Milwaukee Record has the debut EP from Ms. Butler and her golden boys (including Hugh Bob And The Hustle guitarist Nicholas Stuart). The four-song $TANDARD$ proves GGOOLLDD’s penchant for energetic live performances translates seamlessly to the recording booth. In synth-y starter “Younger Days,” the Stevie Nicks comparison in Butler’s effortlessly smooth and timeless croon can’t be avoided. Yet, the effort isn’t a tribute record in the slightest. The songstress’ pipes coalesce with the sheen of electronic accompaniment to forge output that would seem just as at home in dingy rock clubs as it would serving as the soundtrack to dancing silhouettes in the latest iTunes TV spot.

To paraphrase a lyric from $TANDARD$: They’re good, they’re GGOOLLDD, and you’ve got it now.

GGOOLLDD celebrates its EP release Thursday, July 24 with a free show at Yield Bar. The bill also features Color Number and Bright Kind, and begins at 9 p.m. - Milwaukee Record

The name of this particular artist is one of those instances of “good call”; the warmly inviting “electro-pop” of Milwaukee’s GGOOOLLDD shines like its namesake. Making use of the traditionals of the genre — synths and synthetic beats, GGOOLLDD creates an effervescent environment for female vocals that are neither trying too much or too little, a small amount of sweetness is lightly bolstered by an attitude of fun and confidence, recalling a bit of Yelle and a bit of Ladytron, finding a mix that feels good to dance to. GGOOLLDD is light in their back-catalog, but have been talking about an official EP, to be released sometime next month, and “Gold” (click on the title to listen) is one of those initial tracks. In the meantime, fans can catch GGOOLLDD at this weekend’s East Side Music Tour, as they play a 9pm set at Jo-Cat’s Pub (1311 E. Brady Street), in between Tigernite and Rio Turbo. - 91.7 Wmse Radio

Chris Rock is a fan of one of these artists. Hip-hop legend Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels from Run-D.M.C. collaborated with another.

One of these bands has toured the country with its idols. Another is the first Milwaukee-based band to get a major label deal in years.

These are the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Wisconsin Bands to Watch for 2015, our third edition of musical acts who possess not only remarkable talent, but the work ethic and business savvy to go far. They are:

■ Vinyl Theatre, the latest addition to Atlantic Records' Fueled by Ramen, home to Paramore and fun.

■ D Lux, an emerging R&B artist who's opened for Chris Brown and been endorsed by DJ Khaled.

■ Masked Intruder, a raucous "gimmick band" with some seriously good pop-punk tunes.

■ The Living Statues, a live wire garage-rock group with sharp suits and sharper hooks.

■ Pretty Boy Hefner, an 18-year-old rapper who found a life-changing fan in D.M.C.

■ GGOOLLDD, a feel-good synthpop group responsible for some of the best dance parties in town.

Will one of these acts be big enough to perform on "Fallon" or "Letterman," like Volcano Choir and Cory Chisel, or land gigs at premier music fests like Coachella and Lollapalooza, like PHOX?

Time will tell. Regardless, the time to get to know these artists is right now. - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee band GGOOLLDD sent over their track, Younger Days. This track is part of their EP $tandard$, which if I hadn't liked it so much I would have avoid it as a protest for the cliché use of the dollar signs. The truth is that Younger days, gives a glimpse of the perfect pitch this electronic dream-pop EP creates. The EP is available now at Bandcamp, and make sure to catch them live if you live in the Milwaukee area (that's a thing, right?). - Indie Here

Milwaukee based band Ggoolldd have released their debut track, Gold (hah!) which is a gilded, sparkling, thumping pop track- A pop heart pumping gold flaked blood through it’s outwardly awkward veins. This is an odd bunch of artists; the image above is a little disconcerting what with all the men having the kind of stares that creepily follow you around the room, but the charm is saved by pop front woman perfection and glitzy production. Check it out below- - Kaiotic Music

There are tons of bands with terrible names, let’s face it. GGOOLLDD, a local Milwaukee synth pop band with a ton of energy, have a terrible name. It’s not really pronounceable, and spelling it out is kind of a hassle. When bands have names like this, they sure as hell better have decent music to justify this. Luckily, GGOOLLDD’s debut EP $TANDARD$, is one of the best Milwaukee debuts of 2014, and it’s one of the better EPs I’ve heard anywhere this year.

There’s a heavy sense of pop sensibility throughout the short EP, lead by Margaret Butler’s sweet and comforting vocals. The highlight of the project, the shimmering Gold, nicely contrasts the softness of Butler’s voice with walls of squiggly and wet sounding sythesizers. The song is an infectious assault of beautiful sythesizers, sounding similar to something the band Chvrches have been doing lately. The chorus on the song soars, and some little instrumental flourishes (a quiet organ backed part, the nice thick bass guitar) make the song an absolute gem that could (and should) get radio play everywhere.

Unlike a lot of synthpop these days, there’s an actual element of old school instrumentation throughout the record. The pretty Younger Days nicely features some clean guitar in the introduction, rising to prominence before the synthesizers that would come in. There’s also live drums on the project, a quality that has been consistently left out of similar groups. Electronic pop groups constantly churn out catchy tunes, but very few deliver music that feels like the product of an entire band. GGOOLLDD uses a ton of live instrumentation in addition to typical synthesizers and drum programing, and thus feels pleasantly fresh.

The EP, despite it’s brevity, does clear a sonic path for GGOOLLDD that feels unique and invigorating. Soaring hooks and nice instrumental arrangements occupy every track, making everything sound full and enjoyable. GGOOLLD is just as good as many of the synth pop bands that have dominated music blogs for many years, and this EP shows their potential to create something even greater in the future. The massive and beautiful closer Killing Times combines subtlety and explosiveness with a confident deftness, which bodes well for the great group with the hard to say name. - SamlovesMusic

GGOOLLDD is an up-and-coming indie-pop band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and although they may currently find themselves on the fringes of the internet-obsessed music lover’s cusp, we’re firm on our assumptions that this won’t last long once everyone catches an ear on their fantastic, four-track debut EP, $TANDARD$, that was released back in July of this year.

Fueling their imminent rise will indeed be this flawless body of work, as it features not a single blip in quality from track to track. The sound within is bolstered by loud-sounding guitars, lo-fi, sing-along vocals, and electronic-led synth melodies pushing their music into radio-ready categories—and we suspect from it all that they’re far from being a one-and-done release kind of band, so stay tuned for more. - HillyDilly

Out of Milwaukee comes a new indie pop band named GGOOLLDD, who just released their debut EP, $TANDARD$, last week. The release boasts some tasty electropop and alt pop jams, like Bling Ring, a dark, coldwavey number, and the warm, vibrant Younger Days, which you can stream below. GGOOLLDD’s driving, catchy sound brings to mind the post punk flavors of Echo & The Bunnymen, the soaring dreaminess of M83, and some of the playful, sassy alt rock flavors of Metric, particularly on Younger Days. GGOOLLDD will be touring throughout Wisconsin for the upcoming month. I’m sure they’ll get the crowds twirling around and dancing with these tracks. - iheartmoosiq

With Summer still on the forefront of our minds, it has been increasingly difficult to come to terms with yet another season gone by. However, just because the weather is (slowly) shifting from the high 100′s to the mid 90′s, we can still embrace the rays of summery bliss until further notice. When it comes to music, sounds have a particular season and since we’re still stuck on Summer, we dug a bit deeper to help guide you into the Fall mindset in a much easier way. We came across a small artist, GGOOLLDD, during the late night tumble, and listened to their 4 track $TANDARD$ EP.

Sounding much like The Naked and Famous, GGOOLLDD has a very intriguing style of production and songwriting. Their synth-heavy productions along with their catchy hooks collectively bring a refreshing new take on the fusion of indie and pop. After listening through the $TANDARD$ EP a couple of times through, we realized that we may have just stumbled across an artist who has the potential to take over our favorite festivals around the world. Regardless, GGOOLLDD has a family of ninjas here to support them from here on out. - The Music Ninja

A track drenched in nostalgia in so many ways, from its title to its sound, Younger Days nails that 80s pop song feeling we love so much. Margret Butler’s euphoric vocals deliver hook after hook and create the perfect track to dance to as well as the perfect track to dream to. The Milwaukee group released an whole EP full of sad-happy pop tunes back in July, proving it just doesn’t matter if it’s been done before as long as you do it better. - London In Stereo

Initially, and from its opening drum beats reminiscent of the twee pop of everybody from Katy Perry to Goldfrapp, and an array of other meaningless pop icons in between, Younger Days sounds like just another Captial FM, top 40 cast-off that blends into an ever-growing crowd of throwaway chart tunes. However, maybe I’m too quick to judge, or have simply grown cynical in my mere twenty-two years of radio and MTV bombardment, because following the questionable, and worrying, opening fifteen seconds, GGOOLLDD’s lead singer kick-starts the track with her smooth, hot chocolate vocal performance, and all is restored.

This Milwaukee group work to lay pristine female vocals on a bed of jangling synthesisers and retro synthetic beats in an electro pop track that, despite its initial appearance, is one of depth and hard-to-shake hooks. What becomes clear on a second or third listening is that Younger Days serves a double purpose. On its surface, GGOOLLDD have provided the masses with a killer exuberant pop track perfect for dancing the night away to. On a more internal level, this is a tune about nostalgia, memory, childhood and change, and its two-tiered level of sophistication is just one aspect of its appeal.

By no means is Younger Days a piece of revolutionary or ground-breaking musicality, though that isn’t to say it doesn’t have value. You’ll be able to feel this catchy track’s hooks in you skin, in your bones, as the effortless lead vocal tells us, for hours after listening.

And that’s what an archetypal, bijou pop song is all about, right? - Gold Flake Paint

A nostalgic blend of dream-pop and post-punk with some synth-pop flourishes is how the band describe their music. GGOOLLDD’s debut EP Younger Days was released earlier this month and this is the impressive title track. It has a happy-go-lucky feel which will bring a bigger smile to your face with every listen. - We Are Going Solo

There are tons of bands with terrible names, let’s face it. GGOOLLDD, a local Milwaukee synth pop band with a ton of energy, have a terrible name. It’s not really pronounceable, and spelling it out is kind of a hassle. When bands have names like this, they sure as hell better have decent music to justify this. Luckily, GGOOLLDD’s debut EP $TANDARD$, is one of the best Milwaukee debuts of 2014, and it’s one of the better EPs I’ve heard anywhere this year.

There’s a heavy sense of pop sensibility throughout the short EP, lead by Margaret Butler’s sweet and comforting vocals. The highlight of the project, the shimmering Gold, nicely contrasts the softness of Butler’s voice with walls of squiggly and wet sounding sythesizers. The song is an infectious assault of beautiful sythesizers, sounding similar to something the band Chvrches have been doing lately. The chorus on the song soars, and some little instrumental flourishes (a quiet organ backed part, the nice thick bass guitar) make the song an absolute gem that could (and should) get radio play everywhere.

Unlike a lot of synthpop these days, there’s an actual element of old school instrumentation throughout the record. The pretty Younger Days nicely features some clean guitar in the introduction, rising to prominence before the synthesizers that would come in. There’s also live drums on the project, a quality that has been consistently left out of similar groups. Electronic pop groups constantly churn out catchy tunes, but very few deliver music that feels like the product of an entire band. GGOOLLDD uses a ton of live instrumentation in addition to typical synthesizers and drum programing, and thus feels pleasantly fresh.

The EP, despite it’s brevity, does clear a sonic path for GGOOLLDD that feels unique and invigorating. Soaring hooks and nice instrumental arrangements occupy every track, making everything sound full and enjoyable. GGOOLLD is just as good as many of the synth pop bands that have dominated music blogs for many years, and this EP shows their potential to create something even greater in the future. The massive and beautiful closer Killing Times combines subtlety and explosiveness with a confident deftness, which bodes well for the great group with the hard to say name.

Summary: $TANDARD$ is a well produced and infectious Synth Pop EP, delivering fine melodies, cool synthesizers, and fresh sounding live instrumentation.

Choice Cuts: Gold, Killing Times

Similar To: Chromatics, Chvrches, Purity Ring

B+ - Sam Loves Music

This week’s Milwaukee Artist of the week is GGOOLLDD, and indie pop outfit with a brand new EP, released yesterday. Their newest release, “$TANDARD$”, is dance-ready pop at it’s core, with the coolest of indie overtones. Centered around the vocals of singer Margaret Butler, this EP is addicting for how catchy it is. With just the right amount of hooking synth lines sprinkled in, “$TANDARD$” is perfect summer music. To make comparisons, GGOOLLDD sort of sounds like The Naked And Famous, but if Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s was fronting the band, and with just a touch of groups like Purity Ring. If you’re a fan of any of those things, you’ll definitely love GGOOLLDD (Austin Powers jokes aside).
Before the release of the new EP, GGOOLLDD had made begun to make their name in Milwaukee from their live shows. In October, the band did release a one-song demo, but more importantly, it was only a precursor for things to come. The band makes no mistake about having fun (their EP is fittingly tagged under “party”), and their recorded work already sounds like a party to begin with. Having recently played venues like the Milwaukee Art Museum, the group has the ability to bring the fun with them wherever they go. I, however, think you should be taking the party with you, so stream “$TANDARD$” below via Bandcamp, and make sure to download it, as well: - Breaking & Entering

On new track “Younger Days”, Milwaukee-based GGOOLLDD expertly blend elements of ’80s post-punk with more recent synth-pop infatuations, resulting in a sound that reminds me significantly of Frankie Rose (listen to “Know Me“) — which is a very good thing. GGOOLLDD are releasing their debut EP tomorrow, and you can get a peek now into their entrancing sound with “Younger Days”. Starting with a fun and prominent bass line that would be more typical of indie-rock funsters like Foxygen or Smith Westerns, the track then reveals a fierce female lead and clangy ’80s-tinged guitar tones that inject a nocturnal contrast to the effervescent bass line. A bouncy synth line serves as an infectious bridge after the first verse, then transitioning into a vocal-accompanied synth interlude the second time around. It all culminates into a massive minute-plus finale where the rhythm section increases in ferocity alongside the shimmering guitars and rising vocals, before one final bouncy synth interlude. “Younger Days” is one hell of a track, and hopefully a sign of things to come for this talented Milwaukee-based band.

Check out another one of GGOOLLDD’s tracks, the more synth-driven “Bling Ring”, below. This one reminds me more of a M83/Crystal Castles hybrid: - Obscure Sound

Up-and-coming indiepop group, GGOOLLD, is making waves and turning heads with their synth-pop sounds and dreamy vocals. You would never guess that this talented Milwaukee band has only been together for less than a year, especially after listening to their debut EP $TANDARD$. Tracks like “Younger Days” and “Killing times” take listeners into an indie dreamworld, consumed by dreamscapes and teenage nostalgia. We got the chance to chat with the lead singer, Margaret Butler, and learn a little bit more about how the band got together, their debut EP, and who inspires her musically. There is no doubt we see big things in the future for GGOOLLD. Check them out this Saturday at Concord Music Hall opening up for YACHT and White Fang. - Young Girl Party

22 out of 100: GGOOLLDD “Gold”

It was a good year for Wisconsin artists: PHOX’s debut release sent them skyrocketing, Bon Iver announced an Eau Claire music fest, and Field Report’s Marigolden is blowing up indie radio stations across the nation. And one of our favorite discoveries has been GGOOLLDD, a six-piece synth-pop group whose ceaseless energy and infectious sound is quickly making them one of Brew City’s best breakout bands. “Gold,” a single off of their $TANDARD$ EP, is chock full of the danceable grooves and optimistic vocal swoops that keep us hooked. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the country catches on. —Riley Beggin - Jonk Music

12/5/14 - Last night was the 2014 Radio Milwaukee Music Award and it was blast. There were great performances from The Living Statues, WebsterX, The Delta Routine and GGOOLLD. The night ended with a dance party on stage during GGOOLLDD's performance. We want to thank everyone who came out last night and helped picked the winners for this year's awards. This was also the first year of the Critic's Choice award -- voted on by a panel of musicians, promoters, DJs and journalists.

So without futher delay, here are the winners for the 2014 Radio Milwaukee Music Awards:
Milwaukee Music Ambassador Award: Peter Jest, owner of Shank Hall Critics' Choice: Field Report Independent Release: "Poetry Volume 1," Bliss & Alice Album of the Year: "Marigolden," Field Report

Song of the Year: "Bling Ring," GGOOLLDD


Solo Artist of the Year: WebsterX Band of the Year: Field Report Best Disc We Missed: "Space and Time," Dead Horses Album Artwork: "A Wake in the Wells," Old Earth Music Video: "Sunshine," Kane Place Record Club - - 88nine Radio Milwaukee

GGOOLLDD – Younger Days

A nostalgic blend of dream-pop and post-punk with some synth-pop flourishes is how the band describe their music. GGOOLLDD’s debut EP Younger Days was released earlier this month and this is the impressive title track. It has a happy-go-lucky feel which will bring a bigger smile to your face with every listen. - Substance Is Meaningless

Voilà un nouveau groupe au nom pas évident à googeliser qui risque bien de faire parler de lui très bientôt ! Très peu d’informations sur eux pour le moment, et pourtant lorsque l’on est tombé un peu par hasard sur leur souncloud, la claque a été immédiate.
Tout simplement car leur premier EP « $TANDARD$ » est composé de quatre véritables pépites électro pop. Une voix aérienne, des synthés puissants, des mélodies qui rentrent en tête, les tracks de GGOOLLDD ont tout pour s’imposer très rapidement dans vos meilleures playlists. Un style et une énergie qui nous ont tout de suite fait penser aux excellents Chvrches, dont on ne peut que leur souhaiter qu’ils rencontrent le même succès. Et à vrai dire, on y croit pas mal, vous verrez ! - 2MuchPoney

GGOOLLDD – $TANDARD$
At just four songs, GGOOLLDD’s debut EP $TANDARD$ is the shortest release on this list by some distance, and it’s also the most of the moment, embracing the same slick, post-Passion Pit synth-pop as bands like Chvrches and Purity Ring. Don’t dismiss GGOOLLDD as empty trend chasers, though. They’re doing this music as well as anybody right now, with glistening electronics complementing the wounded-voiced Margaret Butler, who turns each of these four songs into a deeply personal emotional release. These songs are big and catchy enough to play at stadiums, yet Butler makes each feel as intimate as a diary entry. - The Shepard Express

LA band Superhumanoids released their second album Do You Feel OK? earlier this month via Innovative Leisure. It's thumping synthpop that avoids the slicked-up, watered-down approach to that genre that continues to rise in popularity. It's more Empress Of than Chvrches, to get an idea. The title track was just given the remix treatment by electronic wiz Prefuse 73, and that makes its premiere in this post. Listen, and stream the entire album, below.
Superhumanoids are on tour now with Rush Midnight, and they'll hit NYC this week on Thursday (10/1) at Baby's All Right with the relatively likeminded GGOOLLDD. Tickets for that show are on sale now. All dates are listed below.
For GGOOLLDD, that show is part of their own short tour which also includes NYC on Friday (10/2) at Rockwood Music Hall. That show and most others are with their Gloss Records labelmates and fellow Milwaukee band, the Joy Division-y NO/NO (tickets). All of their dates, and music from them and NO/NO, also below. - Brooklyn Vegan