SoundProof - NXNE Live: The Pinker Tones

Some music is made to be heard outside, in the sun, around a mass of people who are there, for the most part, not because they knew there was music, but because they were walking by and liked what they heard.

Amidst a very diverse crowd (some of whom were clearly there by accident) gathered at NXNE's Indie Music Market at Yonge and Dundas Square at 5 p.m. Saturday, The Pinker Tones, an ultra-hip and well matched two-piece (consisting of characters, Mister Furia and Professor Manso), along with their DJ, bounced and wiggled their way onstage to provide some of the most refreshing electro-mash, danceable and diverse music I've heard in a while. With a set-up consisting of a variety of equipment used for generating electronic music — including a pair of CDJs, a drum machine, mixers, tweakers and the like — The Pinker Tones treated the crowd to an awesome and fun 30 minutes.

The heavy Spanish influence in the music was a great added element to the bouncy house vibe, cleverly mixed with euro, rock, funk and soul. It's difficult to walk into an unfamiliar outdoor venue and rock a festival on a Saturday afternoon, playing very intense electronic music for a crowd that might not be familiar with the genre, but they did. And it was great.

To compare The Pinker Tones to other bands or DJs is a challenge, as this highly fused sound is still in its creation stage. The music fuses all of the many elements that combine to create its colourful sound from beachy, catchy and energetic to the all-over-ness of Beck, with a hint of Montreal-based DJ Champion mixed with Spain and Euro-Club, all crashed and smashed with a very arty style and presentation.

At home, in Barcelona, and throughout Europe, where they have been on the scene since 2004, The Pinker Tones are making huge waves, and have been doing so from the start. Here, they are breaking in swiftly and to much interest. On Saturday, these serious musicians who know and love their craft definitely gained some steam by turning the downtown square into a dance party. Wonderfully cool mixes of "Sonido Total" and "Mais Pourquoi" were well-produced.

The trip from Barcelona was undoubtedly worth it for the electro-ish outfit, as they certainly converted the non-believers. Having delivered one of the most truly unique and fun 30 minutes of summertime entertainment in a long, long while, you just know The Pinker Tones will be back.