The past few months haven’t been too terrible for George Lewis Jr, who makes unsmiling, magnificent synthpop gems under the alias, Twin Shadow. November: release debut album Forget to rapturous reviews. December: hire little place in snowy upstate New York for making music with Chris (Grizzly Bear) Taylor, (who ‘discovered’ unknown Lewis Jr’s work and released it on his own Terrible Records). Spend Christmas jetskiing and drinking Presidente beers on beach in Dominican Republic, where parents live. January: begin US and UK tour.

‘I’m not tooting my own horn,’ notes Lewis Jr, through an embarrassed sounding laugh, ‘but people have been getting quite excited about my music. In fact what really sold me on working with Chris [Taylor] was the enthusiasm he had for my stuff.’

Twin Shadow’s ‘stuff’ is a slick, icy blast of danceable melodies and moody pop, bringing to mind the Duran Duran/ Depeche Mode/ OMD combo of killer beats and gently tortured lyrics. But despite his unmistakeably 80s soundscapes, plus his love of 80s motorbikes, sportscars and gold chains, Brooklyn boy Lewis Jr – normally found in acid-washed denims, hair coiffed into a New Romantic do (bouffant, Mohawk quiff, ponytail or, er…corn rows) insists he’s not a nostalgist.

‘Sure, my music is influenced by the past – I grew up with sisters who listened to Wham! and Sade on heavy rotation. My mum loved Hall & Oates and my dad loved Peter Gabriel, so I picked up on all that. But I want to lean towards the future; the present isn’t always a very satisfying place. I describe my music as “a future lived in past tense”.’

Captain’s Rest, Glasgow, Thu 27 Jan

Twin Shadow - Castles In The Snow