Sleigh Bells

Sleigh Bells—the experimental pop project of metalcore band Poison the Well’s Derek Miller and girl-group star Alexis Krauss—pits honeyed hooks against crunchy rhythms to build a highly danceable sound. Upon forming in 2008, the New York-based duo made waves with their memorably raucous live shows, buzzy demos and an explosive EP self-released the following year. Their striking 2010 debut LP, Treats, which came out on ‎M.I.A.'s N.E.E.T. label, juxtaposed hip-hop beats, punk riffs, Funkadelic samples and pop vocals for a critically acclaimed musical clash. They repeated the feat on their follow-up, 2012's Reign of Terror, adding in a dash of R&B and hair metal for added flair. They allowed some vulnerability to slip into the cracks on 2016's Jessica Rabbit, adding a personal edge to their hard-as-nails noise. They continued their reign as noise innovators on 2021's Texis, another genre-defying mix of ‘80s pop and ambient metal.