Stephen Malkmus Announces Surprise Electronic Album; Shares 'Viktor Borgia' Video

Stephen Malkmus, known for fronting Pavement — pioneers of nineties lo-fi indie rock, has shared a video for "Viktor Borgia," the lead single from Groove Denied, his forthcoming electronic release. The track is a delightful departure from Malkmus' catalog — a synth-laden, warped experiment drawing influence from early eighties post punk.

In a press release, Malkmus writes he was "thinking things like Pete Shelley's 'Homosapien,' the Human League, and DIY synth music circa 1982," and "also about how in the New Wave Eighties, these suburban 18-and-over dance clubs, were where all the freaks would meet, a sanctuary."

The video features Malkmus dancing alone in a dark club, intermittent strobe lights piercing him like laser beams, in addition to a bizarre, CGI-generated sequence of Malkmus engaged in dance battle with two characters identified as 'Random Business Man' and 'Ariana.'

Groove Denied is out March 15 via Matador.

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