“Let Hyper Crush in!” shouts Donny Fontaine. “If you don’t let us in we’re gonna kick the fuckin’ door down ‘cause a lot of these music people are comin’ out and soundin’ like what we’ve been doin’.”

The rat-tailed rap star of L.A. electro hip-hop trio Hyper Crush doesn’t sound as angry as  he does accurate; a look back at my November 2008 feature shows the proof in the pudding, as Hyper Crush was, and still is, at the forefront of the nu-80s electronic craze. And with so many mainstream acts fusing electronic influence into their new sounds (i.e. Black Eyed Peas, Phoenix), Hyper Crush’s 8-bit beats don’t seem all that “out there” anymore.

Since signing a deal with Universal just over a year ago, Hyper Crush has acted as the tortoise more than hare, organically building their reputation with rock band-like touring (four U.S. tours including a date in Milwaukee this month and one European tour with Lady Gaga), a free 21-track mixtape (available at hypercrush.com) and vigilant use of that little tool Al Gore calls the Internet.

In fact, Hyper Crush used Myspace almost exclusively to promote their debut album The Arcade, before finding other avenues, like the label, to let the music world know they too exist. However, though the mainstream sound is shifting, Hyper Crush has yet to reach the mainstream. Maybe the three L.A. born 80s’ babies are too real, but Hyper Crush beat maestro Preston Moronie thinks it would benefit the industry to have some new players.

“It’d be nice for us to break out into the mainstream because we are the artist. We’re true to what we do and we’re not created by anyone else…No label’s gonna create our look. No producer’s gonna write our song. Nobody’s gonna program our life. We do everything by ourselves pretty much and we’ve had other producers help out and kind of contribute their two cents but at the end of the day it’s us.”

Moronie also noted that Hyper Crush has no problem writing new material as the group has 25 potential songs for their forthcoming album. They also turned around Hyper Crush Mixtape Vol. 2 (or 8-Bit Odyssey) in about one month to service starving hipsters.

“We wanted to make something cool to put out, especially because our album seems like it’s taking long to people,” said Hyper Crush’s lone lady Holly Valentine. “We were like, ‘Okay, it’s hard to put the album out so we’re gonna put out a 21-song mixtape.’ Making new music is important to us and we want to give that to our fans.”

As for this elusive major label release, Fontaine said it’ll definitely be out by 2015; Moronie and Valentine are thinking closer to May. With the music video for the aggressive booty blasting single “Keep Up” shot in L.A. this past January, Hyper Crush hopes that hard to attain radio play is to follow.

Even so, the ex-mental intuition worker, ditch digger and hair stylist certainly haven’t lost their edges since becoming full-time musicians one year and three months ago. And when this three-piece puzzle is glued together for their first headlining tour, the most rooted national musicians I’ve ever met will be blinding the music world with more than just neon fanny packs.

on the low: Hyper Crush will be in direct support of Breathe Carolina Thursday, February 25 at Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee.

‘KC’ MAKES WI DEBUT AT PI

Two-time Turn it Up! feature Kevin Cossom (Dec. ’08, Dec. ’09) introduces his R&B swagger in-person this month when he appears at Pi Nightlcub in Green Bay.

Cossom hits South Adams Street Thursday, February 18 fresh off a Grammy nomination (and possible win by the time of publication) for his ghostwriting talent on #3 Billboard Hot 100, #1 Radio smash “Knock You Down” performed by Keri Hilson, Kanye West and Ne-yo. The R&B talent, however, will perform his own music at Pi including the radio cut “Relax,” in which Cossom scores a verbal assist from the iconic Snoop Dogg.

Pi, now under the direction of new manager Brad Hunsader, looks to turn wild in the New Year with Cossom being the second kick-off to the revamped Pi experience.