NO KICKS

Mogul first emerged in Birmingham in 1996 when Jonni and Candii, a duo bonded by a mutual love of cheap Casiotone keyboards, Eurodisco rhythms and punk swagger, met dancing to “Teenage Kicks” by The Undertones. Inspired by the icy precision of Kraftwerk and the razor-sharp energy of Iggy Pop, they envisioned a sound that fused fluorescent techno-pop with street-corner grit. Their debut track “Jonni,” which appeared on Boa Records’ Noises from the Soundcupboard compilation, announced their arrival with lo-fi bravado. In 1998, their mischievous cover of Oasis’s “Roll with It,” issued as an Org Records single, drew high praise from New Musical Express and radio spins on Steve Lamacq’s BBC show. Subsequent singles “I Was Starving Hungry in Tesco’s” (Fortuna Pop) and “Rotunda” (Elefant Records) showcased their irreverent wit and mastery of dancefloor hooks. Building on these successes, Mogul released their debut album Runnin’ Riot in 2002. The record spans an exhilarating gamut—from the county-techno pulse of “Midland Metro” to the punk-chic vitriol of “No Kicks” and “Bin Bag,” and features the centerpiece “Better than Sex,” remixed by The Cuban Boys into three hyper-danceable versions. With its playful cover of Kraftwerk’s “The Model,” nods to Sigue Sigue Sputnik and collaborations with electronic collectives, Runnin’ Riot cemented Mogul’s status as pioneers of bubblegum-techno-punk-pop.