Solex and Kid 606 will present the wide geographical spectrum of electronica development this week at separate performances in Moscow. At B2, Solex will show off European influences, while Kid 606 will show off American indie-electronica at Sixteen Tons. Both groups carry shining references, one from Matador Records and the other from Faith No More's Mike Patton, which helps compensate for their somewhat-obscure status.

Solex

The name of Amsterdammer Elisabeth Esselink's group Solex is derived from the legendary Dutch motor scooter. The machine originated in France and became quite popular in the Netherlands in the '50s and '60s. Esselink has trouble explaining what this has to do with her music, except that she seems to like retro, which consistently pops up in her music. Esselink is co-owner of one of Amsterdam's finest second hand music shop, C+D, which supplies the kitschy records she regularly mixes in to her style of lo-fi techno-pop.

Before this, Elisabeth sang in a noise band called Sonetic Vet, and played drums in another band. But her solo undertakings have been her most successful, as Solex became one of the only groups to sign with Matador Records in 1997 - a label very strict about the quality and ground-breaking potential of their releases - based on an unsolicited demo tape. Matador released Solex's debut album, Solex vs. the Hitmeister, in early 1998.

Esselink's music is built around looped sections of sparse, keyboard-generated rhythms created from "old vinyl, crappy un-sellable CD's, television, the better looking talk show hosts, noisy deaf people, films, bootlegs, radio, street noises and animals." It's some of the best in colorful alternative pop, incorporating elements of electronica, jazz and breakbeat with the rudiments of experimental pop. Solex has toured constantly since the release of the album with the likes of Cornelius, Cornershop and The Notwist, with Elisabeth joined on stage by drummer Robert Lagendijk and guitar/bass player Geert de Groot. All will be on stage at B2 Oct. 3

Kid 606

Born in Caracas, Venezuela but raised in San Diego, Kid 606 is in middle of the growing American indie-electronica scene. New additions to the genre are multiplying way too fast to be kept track of. But Kid 606 is different, and comes with Mike Patton's recommendation. Kid's last several releases have come out on the experimental Ipecac label, associated with Patton - a sign that Kid's talent is something out of the ordinary. Inspired by hardcore techno, noise and indie-punk, Kid is not exactly an "intelligent techno," and with his fondness for breakbeat thrash his music is somewhere in between Atari Teenage Riot and Add N (To X).

After low-profile appearances here and there, Kid 606 released his first album on Ipecac in mid-2000, "Down with the Scene," which was full of electronic noise, broken-up beats, guitar twists and strange sounds. However, in last year's "P.S. I Love You," the Kid took a step away from the bold schizophrenia of his previous records and was rewarded for his step into more melodic territory with greater critical acclaim. The results will be presented to Muscovites on Oct. 5th at Sixteen Tons.