HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR是纽约龙头电音大厂DFA旗下,2008年最强势的全新梦幻组合。当中最为人所熟知的一名成员,莫过于英国水星音乐奖(Mercury Music Prize)加冕乐队Antony and the Johnsons的主唱Antony Hegarty,他阴鬱哀沉的独特歌声在另类乐坛引发巨大迴响,Joan As Police Woman、CocoRosie、Marc Almond、Rufus Wainwright与冰岛音乐精灵Bjork都先后邀请他献声高歌。Antony虽然在英国出生,但在6岁左右,就随着父母迁往荷兰阿姆斯特丹,1981年转而搬到美国加州,1990年Antony到曼哈顿发展,并与当地音乐人建立起深厚的良好关係。HERCULES AND LOVE AFFAIR的创作核心是Andy (Andrew) Butler,他出生于美国科罗拉多州的丹佛(Denver),小时候他就懂得利用家中钢琴编曲创作,12岁时领略到电子音乐的美好,15岁时便在同志酒吧里当起DJ放歌。深具才华的他,在18岁时毅然决然离开丹佛,到曼哈顿的私立大学主修音乐与艺术史,晚上则在纽约的舞厅放歌磨练。2002年Andy在当地结识了同时具有DJ、歌手、珠宝设计师等多重身份的Kim Ann Foxman,一拍即合的两人一直到今天都保有密切的合作关係。阵中另一位成员,则是在纽约士生士长的歌手Nomi,她过去曾与Deborah Harry (Blondie)与CocoRosie等着名歌手有过合作关係,嗓音雌雄难辨的她负责为本张专辑中的两首歌曲献唱,House舞曲〈You Belong〉,展现她嗓音中浓厚的蓝调色彩,〈Hercules Theme〉带人重返80年代的Disco舞池,后半部再追上一段即兴爵士演奏锦上添花。
The producer behind Hercules & Love Affair, Andrew Butler, began DJing at a leather bar as a teen in his native Denver. After a move to New York, he became further immersed in club culture as a party promoter and began to make his own music. Butler's first 12" for the DFA label, 2007's "Classique"/"Roar" -- a co-production with Tim Goldsworthy -- featured vocals from close associate Kim Ann Foxman and friend Antony Hegarty, bearing his deep affinity for electro-disco and early Chicago house. "Blind," an early 2008 follow-up, preceded a self-titled full-length released on DFA that March.