Ballet School Band Crush

Take one part Cocteau Twins' genre-bending gleam pop, add in a dash of late-night rebellion, and top it all off with the kind of exuberance that comes from a truly 

epic 

weekend, and you're well on your way to Ballet School. It might be impossible to truly pinpoint the Berlin-based trio's sound, but that's just the way these guys like it.

After first meeting in Berlin's underground DIY music scene and bonding over a mutual love of Cocteau Twins, members Rosie Blair (vocals and guitar) and Michel Jun Collet (vocals) realized that they were onto something special. According to Blair, "We really wanted a live show that would slay and be totally physical so we knew we needed a live drummer." Enter Louis McGuire, who Blair describes as "the best in Berlin."

After that, it wasn't long before the threesome nabbed a record deal from Bella Union, dropped their 

Boys Again

EP,

and gained a loyal following for their guitar-driven, '80s-inspired synth tunes. And as for the story behind that band name? Just thank Courtney Love. As Blair puts it, "She did this big

Rolling Stone

interview around the time Kurt [Cobain] died and she spoke about her grief in a way that really affected me for years. There were all these pics of her dressed as a silent ballerina. But of course that persona was totally against her true nature. It really moved me that she was self-aware enough to realise that. People - most people - are carrying around incredible burdens and they rarely ever show it. That's grace."

You can see this grace embodied in Ballet School's debut album 

The Dew Lasts An Hour

, out September 9. The LP is chock-full of soaring choruses, lustrous pop melodies, and a gorgeous pop sensibility that's a little bit throwback, a little bit modern, and just dark enough to give it an edge. As Blair describes the record, "Just imagine Quentin Crisp or Blanche du Bois or Dorian Corey saying it. Beauty is fleeting. So you just have to enjoy it." Hey, you don't have to tell us twice. 

Stream Ballet School album The Dew Lasts An Hour early here.

Then, find out more about

Ballet School.