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Built in the shadows of rain covered Vancouver

Sex With Strangers are Canada’s greatest purveyors of what they call “robot-rock”. Fronted by the inimitable Hatch Benedict and the mysterious Magnus Magnum, Sex With Strangers proudly present their third release “The Tokyo Steel”, available on Boutique Empire Records and iTunes.

The two band-mates first met in 1994 during the formation of the Vancouver-based “crust-core” band Harvey Switched, which would later evolve in simply The Switch. The 5-member post-punk outfit toured and recorded several EP’s in the late ‘90’s, most notably the critically acclaimed EP “2001 – A Rock Odyssey”, which was co-produced by The New Pornographers’ bassist John Collins.

After a three-year hiatus, Hatch and Magnus set forth in a new musical direction in 2004, writing and recording material with established producer Mark Henning (Pure, Combine the Victorious). Guitarist Wedge Beavers (The Mohawk Lodge) and singer/fashion designer Isabelle “Bobbie” Dunlop soon joined the band to lend their talents to the unfolding, electronic project. Featuring the internet-buzz single “Dance Police”, the newly named Sex With Strangers released their debut EP “A Future Tragedy” in April 2007.

Shortly afterwards, SWS headed back into the studio to work on their first full-length recording, “The Modern Seduction” with producer Mark Henning once again at the helm. Supported by the conceptual artwork of Robert Edmonds, “The Modern Seduction” was released in October of 2008. The album expandes on the concept first introduced in “A Futre Tragedy”. It is set in a dystopian future where free thinkers and liberty-seeking rebels (The Formers) are forced to take their “live-forever lifestyle” to the underground, away from totalitarian entity that controls the surface world (The Persuader).

Fueled by critical acclaim in their hometown of Vancouver, “The Modern Seduction” quickly garnered attention from college radio and press across North America – most notably, SPIN Magazine, which named SWS one of “7 Undiscovered Bands Worth a Listen” to from around the world..

While the band was already making waves with its early live performances, the Sex With Strangers line-up was expanded to include live drummer Dallas Archangel. 2009 saw SWS headline showcases at JunoFest, SLED Island, and Olio festivals, in addition to buzz-generating performances at Music Waste, The BIG TIME OUT, and Rifflandia. Unpredictable, energetic and always interactive, the band’s live show continues to activate audiences everywhere.

While all of this was going on, 2009 also saw Sex With Strangers busy at work in the studio constructing their third release, “The Tokyo Steel”. Following the same unorthodox writing process as before, Hatch and Magnus were determined to one-up themselves and create a truly advanced, electronic pop album that would challenge and reward all who would venture a listen. A sequle of sorts to “The Modern Seduction”, the new album is set in a futuristic corner of Asia, where The Formers have once again been summoned to investigate the mysterious “Tokyo Steel” project.

From the explosive first single, ”New City Anthem”, to the dance-floor daggers “We Want The Fire” and ”Sharpen The Knife”, through to the un-charted waters of “Last of The Unreals” and closer “I Will Be The Last One”, Sex With Strangers proudly presents “The Tokyo Steel”, available now on Boutique Empire.

In addition, Sex With Strangers has just released their first video for the single “New City Anthem” and is busy preparing for a Spring tour in conjunction with their selection to perform at the 2010 SXSW Festival.

Check them out on MySpace here.