by RAF KATIGBAK

Ever wonder what life would be like if you had superheroes for parents? Pretty shitty would be my guess. Celebrity kids often have big shoes to fill, but imagine the pressure of having a dad named Mister Fantastic and a mom named Wonder Woman. How are you supposed to live up to that? Even if you were lucky enough to inherit some good mutant genes and not something half-assed like, well, half an ass, there's probably some superhero oath that prohibits you from vaporizing bullies.

Luckily, audience members at the PVC Productions synth-pop showcase Vox 3 next Thursday need not fear any psychic wedgies, since local synth-pop super duo Gelée (Lorraine Muller and Krista Muir, offspring and alter-egos of Montreal's Kingpins and Lederhosen Lucil, respectively) are here to use their musical powers for good, not evil.

Every superhero has an origin story and this talented twosome is no exception. "We started it as a fun project about a year ago, because we wanted to record a mini CD for the Distroboto machine," explains Muller. Armed with cool-as-a-cucumber vocals (sung in both French and English), lyrical twists full of hidden meanings and double entendres, and a stage presence that would put Captain Marvel to shame, Muir and Muller's power lies in coaxing the most bittersweet yet upbeat melodies out of a bevy of rigid, canned drum beats, frosted auto-chord accompaniment and shimmery Casio synths "quoted" from Duran Duran, New Order, Depeche Mode and Mano Negra. "We just turn on the machines, put our finger down and they make nice sounds," says Muller innocently enough. "Then you put your finger down somewhere else and it makes an even nicer sound, but I won't tell you where."

In Québécois, Gelée can mean two things - frozen, or stoned. "Or is it ‘I have it?'" posits Muir (as in "Je l'ai," get it?). Well, if their three-song demo (each six-letter song title ends in "-ée") is any indication, it's a warm brew of all three. "There's a concept for the show - a sweet concept," says Muller. "It's sucrée," adds Muir. "Oh, and a bit gelée."

With Statue Park and Duchess Says at Casa del Popolo on Thursday, May 6, 9pm, $5

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