The Salt Lake City band Summerhead is creating a new sound in electronica. While mixing experimentalism with electronic pop, the band has been recognized for adding a beauty that is not always found in dance music.

The core duo James Holmes and Gary Svedin formed Summerhead in 1997. While being fond of dance music, other influences such as the minimalist composer Michael Nyman, Cocteau Twins (to whom Summerhead owes their name), and Moby can be heard in their music.

Summerhead’s latest album “Liberation” mixes Summerhead’s distinct style of spacious keyboard tracks with up-tempo beats and bits of computer noises and samples. What makes this album stand out is its rare blend of almost symphonic arrangements with hip hop vocals. Svedin explained, “our latest musical interests always come out in the albums we are working on at the time. This album happened to be created during the weeks we were fascinated with Bach’s Mass in B minor and Eminem’s ‘8 Mile’ soundtrack.”

While Summerhead experiments with different music styles, they also spend time with other art forms. Holmes’ love for film led to the creation of a full-length film that accompanied Summerhead’s album “Watershed”. Holmes has directed other films and music videos as well. Incidentally, Svedin’s score for Holmes’ original film “Cold” won best original score in the International festival of Film and Technology.

Holmes and Svedin do all of the programming and play most of the instruments on their albums. Still they allow some moments to be performed by a handful of guest musicians. Liberation’s third track “WinterPlace” features the Jewel-like vocals of Iberis.