Native to Northern Ireland (any fetishists expecting cute Japanese girls can leave now), and consisting of Declan McLaughlin (aka Decky Hedrock), Gary Curran (aka DJ Curntables), Gareth Donoghue (aka Galo), The Japanese Popstars are signed to bespoke electronica label, Gung-Ho Recordings (Gus Gus, Greg Churchill, Zoo Brazil, Lil Devious, Luke Walker). The band has recently joined international powerhouse, ITB, the live agents representing Soulwax, Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, Vitalic, and others.

The Japanese Popstars only parallel with rock music is that they’ve built up a sizable live following before releasing their first major single – some might even say cultish, judging by the amount of clips on Youtube. Early supporters include Erol Alkan, 2ManyDJs, Philippe Zdar, and Eddy Temple Morris, through to clubby chaps such as Pete Tong, Paul Woolford, Darren Emerson, Mason, and many more.

Firstly, let’s get one thing straight about the music – The Japanese Popstars aren’t backroom techno or any other sub-sub-sub genre, theirs is big room, cool as f**k electronic music built for festivals and stadiums (think Underworld, Chems, Orbital etc). They’re not dance kids aping indie kids, nor are they indie kids dropping synths and calling themselves `ravers’. They represent a return to the future – when music and technology locked arms and strode forward, not backwards, and refused to don a guitar onstage or become glorified Eurobeat pop.

If `EP1′ is your first taste of the band, then welcome to their world of maximal, head-twisting beats and synapse-fusing electronica; if you’re already a part of their growing legion of fans, then you’ll know `Delboy’s Revenge’ to be one of their live favourites. Backed by `Sample Whore’, this release is a taster for their debut album, `We Just Are’, which is due in June 2008.