Germaphobes are a Toronto-based pop duo comprised of songwriters Neil Rankin and Paul Erlichman. The pair have been friends since childhood but the band was formed in late 2014 as an outlet to explore their mutual interest in the more outre fringes of pop music. Taking inspiration from groups like Sparks, The Talking Heads, and Godley & Cream, Rankin & Erlichman have carved out a sound that would have fit neatly into the Lower East Side scene of the late 70s, channelling the energy of the early New Wave and No Wave experimentalists while incorporating ambitious arrangements and vocal harmonies that hint at their more baroque ambitions. In their brief history as a band the pair have carved out a niche in the artier corners of the Toronto scene and in recent months have opened for Jeffery Lewis, Mild High Club and Michael Stasis. Their first release, ‘The Magic Eye’ EP, which will be out\u00a0via\u00a0Pleasence Records on November 27th.<\/p>\n
The first single from the EP is its title track, Magic Eye<\/em>, a refreshingly unselfconcious song that displays the band\u2019s more bombastic side, recalling CBGB\u2019s regulars like The Fleshtones and Wayne County, and featuring some intricate guitar work from Erlichman. Listen to the uber catchy and slightly weirdo Magic Eye<\/em> via Soundcloud below.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n