Baroque trip-hop duo Bitter:Sweet formed in Los Angeles featuring vocalist Shana Halligan and producer Kiran Shahani (the latter of whom is also a founding member of Supreme Beings of Leisure). The two had lived just one block away from each other and had even recorded in the same studio before meeting via an online ad. Bitter:Sweet released its debut, The Mating Game, on Quango in April 2006.… Things get off to a rather delicious start with the sultry "Don't Forget to Breathe," which makes great use of singer Shana Halligan's sensual alto (at times, a dead ringer for that of Esthero; at others, Gwen Stefani). The duo then segues into a crazy-sexy-cool collection of mod-rock masterpieces that might easily be home on any Austin Powers (or, indeed, James Bond) soundtrack. Highlights like the jazzy title track and the giddy "Dirty Laundry" showcase Halligan and bandmate Kiran Shahani's knack for accenting their addictive melodies with kitschy sounds and arrangements, while the beguiling drum'n'bass-drenched rhythms of down-tempo numbers like the rock-ier "Overdue," "Our Remains" and (appropriately) "Moody" effortlessly evoke one too many nights spent downing martinis in darkened after-hours lounges.
Tracklist:
1. Bitter:Sweet - Don't Forget to Breathe (3:14)
2. Bitter:Sweet - The Mating Game (3:24)
3. Bitter:Sweet - Overdue (3:34)
4. Bitter:Sweet - Heaven (3:48)
5. Bitter:Sweet - Bittersweet Faith (4:19)
6. Bitter:Sweet - Moving Forward (3:36)
7. Bitter:Sweet - Moody (2:39)
8. Bitter:Sweet - Dirty Laundry (3:20)
9. Bitter:Sweet - Our Remains (3:34)
10. Bitter:Sweet - Salty Air (3:02)
11. Bitter:Sweet - Take 2 Blue (2:40)