by ERIN MACLEOD

Debut performances are supposed to be tough. But apparently not for Thunderheist. Killing it at a Peer Pressure bash last fall, booty beat maker Grahm and outspoken MC Isis truly thundered through a party-primed set that left everyone sweaty, smiling, impressed and wanting more.

The duo—whose infectious, deeply danceable track “Anthem” has already been featured on CBC Radio 3, not to mention the playlists of a growing number of DJs nationwide—might never have created their “sexytime explosion” save for the fact that the Internet allows for a liaison between the 416 and the 514. “With Isis living in Toronto and myself living in Montreal,” Grahm explains, “I would send her beats and then she’d send me back an a cappella, which I would chop and throw back onto the beat. It’s actually a really efficient way to do it, because we can both work at the same time.”

Isis’s raunchy rhymes combine with Grahm’s dirty bass to create tunes that’ll make you wanna add them as a MySpace pal. Heck, nearly everyone else has, and Thunderheist has made the promo potential of the Web work for two folks who’ve been at this music thing for quite some time.

Nigerian-born, Canadian-raised Isis has been performing for years, strutting her stuff next to folks like Bahamadia. DJ Kool Herc is a fan, having seen this powerhouse at Show Time at the Apollo. Montrealer Grahm has been DJing for years, competing in DMC comps and opening for Herbaliser, Kid Koala and others along the way. The self-described “party DJ” wanted to see people move, and stuck with this philosophy when he started making beats: “It was in me to make music for people to dance to.” And they want to do it live. “The dynamics of the live show were also very different from what we had both seen in the hip hop world. When was the last time you saw someone really dance at a hip hop show?” Answer: at a Thunderheist gig.

There’ll most certainly be opportunities to experience Thunderheist in 2007. They’ve got a 12-inch on Bigfoot Records, an EP in the works, collaborations with pals and, according to Grahm, “World tours, making more music, and ridiculous riders including, but not limited to, green Skittles shaped like our faces—side profile, no less.”