Falling somewhere between
Calvin Harris and
Junior Senior, dance-pop singer
Tommy Sparks broke through in 2009 with the slick club cut "She's Got Me Dancing." Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, but raised in Stockholm,
Sparks first fell in love with hip-hop before gravitating toward the alternative rock of
the Pixies and
Sonic Youth. By the end of his teens he fell in love with dance music thanks to his new favorite group,
the Prodigy. When he moved to London he formed the group
Vatican DC. After two years of gigs, singles, and EPs, the group broke up, launching
Sparks' solo career in the process. He got to work with his idols in early 2009 when he contributed vocals to the
Prodigy B-side "Wild West." In May he did the same for
Filthy Dukes, although this time "Messages" would be the A-side and the centerpiece of the group's
Nonsense in the Dark album. Soon after,
Sparks' own hit single "She's Got Me Dancing" landed on the Island label, with his self-titled debut album following in August. ~ David Jeffries