With both members influenced by '80s synth pop plus artists like Prince, Luther Vandross, and Chaka Khan, Yip Deceiver was born when Davey and Dobby were en route to an Of Montreal gig. An Usher song came on the radio, they both sang along enthusiastically, and the sheer joy they felt became the inspiration for a new project that would be more synth and dance-oriented. With Davey as "sonic lovechild" and Dobby as "executive vibes manager," the lighthearted group played its first show on New Year's Eve 2010 at the 40 Watt club in Athens, Georgia. A year later, the group's self-titled debut EP landed on Dobby's label, Aerobic International. Their debut album, Medallius, followed in 2013 on the New West label and featured the single "Get Strict." The duo toured the U.S. extensively for the next couple years, and in September 2015 issued a split single with Ruby the Rabbitfoot which had them covering Jennifer Paige's '90s hit, "Crush." It was closely followed by the EP YPD, which included "Red Line," co-written and produced by Harlan Silverman (Mayer Hawthorne, RØMANS). ~ David Jeffries