Hailing from European origins, a new wave of New Wave is about to break on US shores. Six starlets, with the appropriate last name, Starr, have brought back the best memories from the eighties, and seasoned them with a little bit of spiced rum.

Melding together influences like The Ramones, Blondie, Anything Box, The Cure, The Smiths and perhaps a smidgeon of Depeche Mode, this sassy all-girl power team by the name Magenta Malfünction are poised for a Yankee takeover.

Thus far, they have been warmly received, not only by European fans, but being lauded by critics as "the answer to the questionEuropop," and "sugar laced with cocaine: sweet and addictive."

Their first single off the album Umlaut is called Shock to the Systemand has already been steadily climbing the European pop-charts. However, there is enough of an attitude to their pop sensibilities to create the edge necessary to garner fans among punk rockers, and hardcore kids as well. Said one fan after a show, "Magenta Malfünction is the kind of stuff that soothes me to sleep at night, and then I play Boy Sets Fire in the morning to wake me up."

Ramona, the ubiquitous bass player, and German import, speaks flawless English, albeit with a thick ‘ja wohl’ accent. "We have had so much fun recording this album. We were in Berlin, to start our tour this spring, and our producer, Gunther Schmidt, (Flamingo Jones, Staplehead, Librarian), tells us that we have two days to finish recording. So, we had to just pull together. I recorded my bass tracks in eight hours, but we had some problems with Kat’s vocal recording because she had a really bad cold. But in some ways it sounds really great that way. Very rough."

Laughing, a now recuperated Kat concurs. "Yeah, that cold definitely detoured our plans, but I was still able to sing pretty well during our concert dates." Kat, a native of London, who met Ramona, Emerald and Astra in Berlin, two years ago, has now since moved to Germany to work with the band full time. Savannah and Tara La, friends of Kat’s from London, travel as necessary to work on recordings and tours, but for the time being remain in England.

In the current musical climate, the new wave styling of Magenta Malfünction stands out against a backdrop of rap-metal, hardcore, top forty, and whatever else is hitting the airwaves. The six Euro-pop stars find their inspiration in doing music that is a bit off the beaten path. Says Emerald, "Of course, we are borrowing from the sounds of the eighties. The eighties were so terrific, it’s hard not to want to borrow from those bands. And we haven’t claimed to be something unique. We just like what we like, and that is the sound we are creating." Tara La nods in agreement. "The eighties were a formative time in musical terms. We are using our influences to bring the New Wave to a new generation. Hopefully our fans will span across different age groups, and not be limited to the other children of the eighties."

The band has been invited to tour with the likes of Juniper Berry, Windup Clock, and Über. During the spring, they played several dates across the continent, hitting such major metropolitan stops as Paris, Dublin, London, and Stockholm. "We couldn’t believe the fans already coming out to support us," muses Savannah. "I mean, we are brand new. It was just that way the whole time. In Ireland, and Sweden, the audiences were especially excited. We sold almost all our merchandise after the shows." This summer, they have been put on a techno-synth pop festival line-up, which will feature more of the Magenta Malfünction’s new material, and a longer showcase. It is even rumored that the demigod of DJ’s, Rome Jasper, is inviting them out for a full world tour this fall, hitting clubs like Café Del Mar in Spain.

Astra looks smug when asked about the state of their friendship, given the amount of time they all spend together. "Well," she pauses, "we have a fair share of moments, as does anyone. But the truth is, we wouldn’t do this if we didn’t get along. Our friendship will continue to bloom with time and trials. Whether we succeed in music or not, whether we are a flash in the pan, or the next big thing, we hope that our friendship will be what bonds us, and not the music we make. I’m possibly speaking for myself, but I’d like to think that the music we create is a by-product of our friendship, and not the other way around."

Shooting across the Atlantic like so many meteorites, the Starrs of Magenta Malfünction will touch down in the US with a bright spark of light. Either duck and take cover, or run out to see what all the fuss is about. Judging by their devoted fans in Europe, we might do well to do the latter.

Tara La Starr: Keyboards, vocals

Astra Starr: Synthesizers, programming, vocals

Ramona Starr: Bass, vocals

Emerald Starr: Drums, percussion, vocals

Kat Starr: Lead vocals, sitar

Savannah Starr: Guitar, vocals