Hexes & Ohs

Hexes & Ohs, a Montreal-based duo made up of two high school sweethearts who share a fondness for '80s electro-pop, builds its sound around synthesizers, programmed percussion, and co-ed vocals. Edmund Lam and Heidi Donnelly first worked together in the '90s as members of the pop quartet Jolly Bean. That ensemble slowly shifted into A Vertical Mosaic, adding stronger electronic touches before disbanding in late 2004. Lam and Donnelly then launched Hexes & Ohs, combining the electronic leanings of their previous project with Jolly Bean's focus on melodic hooks. Their debut album, Goodbye Friend Welcome Lover, appeared in 2005 and offered sixty minutes of smart, danceable pop. The self-released Motion K'Motion EP followed in 2006 and helped widen the band's reach. Two years later Bedroom Madness surfaced, led by the infectious single "H-H-Highschool," whose music video secured airplay for the group on MTV Canada.