What Model Citizens

What Model Citizens, the project of songwriter Alex Musto, was created towards the end of 2009 as a means of exploring noise and feedback-heavy music grounded by a foundation in synth-rock. The band’s music is perhaps best described as a fusion of the noisy, jagged guitar of The Gang Of Four with electroclash melodies of The Faint.

​

2010 saw the release of What Model Citizens' debut, semi-self-titled album, OH What Model Citizens We Be, followed shortly by 2011’s You’ve Been Set Up. Both albums defined Musto’s sound as a grinding juxtaposition of tender synthesizer tones and heavily distorted guitar, which begs ears to dissect the layers of sound while daring hips not to shake to the beat. Gritty and driving, OH What Model Citizens We Be and You’ve Been Set Up introduced Musto’s reverb-laden guitar-heavy electronic sound with a driving tenacity.

​

Described as a madman with a music box, wielding an electric anarchist sound, Ohn E Amas and We've Been capture Musto’s energetic fury as What Model Citizens’ third and fourth albums. Sharp synth punctuations, frenzied beats, and an overbearing sense of paranoia permeate throughout Ohn E Amas, while We've Been brings the musical project to its close. Wild and exhilarating, Ohn E Amas and We've Been distill Musto’s unique electronic sound to a danceable storm and firmly places What Model Citizens in New York’s post-punk electroclash traditions.