It’s clear from the first track of glam electro-pop artist Christer’s debut self-released disc Techna that she is an unapologetic “beat machine.”

In the opener “How You Like It,” an ode to shaking it on the dance floor, she asserts, “You know what I notice everybody? Nobody dances anymore. But I’m going to change that all for you.” It’s as difficult to argue with her as it is to resist swaying to the beat of her irresistibly catchy album.

Christer’s “electro-synth-jazz-disco” sound and kitschy glam styling may project a superficial image, but beyond the fun dance beats and slick production, Techna features some surprisingly dark and emotional content.

Christer, who describes her debut album as “a documentation of a personal journey – from the initial idea of wanting to write dance music to creating an alter ego,” spoke candidly about her music on a cloudy day at Commercial Drive’s Café Deux Soleil.

Technalogical alter ego

Halifax native Christine Pincock’s journey as an artist inspired the emergence of her musical persona Christer, and the manufactured synth sound of her music is reflected in Christer’s glittery, manicured stage look. She titled her album Techna to signify “the female version of techno,” and because it “sounds like the name of a planet,” a sort of technological soundscape for her musical alter-ego personality.

For Christer, the synthetic makeup of electro music and her sparkly, carefully constructed stage persona are inextricably linked. For her high-energy shows she sports a glam, techno, disco-queen look with body-hugging dresses and sky-high heels, an image that melds seamlessly with her shiny dance tunes.

Christer doesn’t shy away from accusations of superficiality and artifice, and rather embraces the concept as essential to her art.

She cites the influence of philosopher Donna Haraway’s cyborg theory, which suggests that humans’ love affair with technology has resulted in the creation of material extensions of themselves, in explaining the emergence of Christer as a character. This concept inspired the lyric, “this is a techna-logical extension of my better self” on the album’s closing track, “Tissue Paper” (also featured on ocw’s Summer 2008 Compilation CD).

“Christine and Christer are two separate entities,” she says.

Ironically, “Christer is Tronic,” a jazzy slow-burner about the emergence of her electro alter ego, is the only song on Techna performed with real instruments rather than synthesizers. This slick meta-interlude gives an appealingly stripped-down glimpse at the heartbeat beneath the sheen of Christer’s music, before delving back into the dizzying dance floor chronicle of the electro diva.

And while Christer’s music certainly has a glam-disco lustre to it, her songs have a surprisingly poignant immediacy, dealing with very human concerns that belie the machine-made sound of the album.

The aforementioned, stunning “Tissue Paper” is a minimalist ballad that explores the loneliness and alienation of modern life. “With all the problems of the world inside me all that I can do is you,” Christer sings, her suddenly fragile-sounding voice ringing with bell-like clarity before the song dissolves into a whirl of beats and melodic synth washes.

“Cadaver” is an eerie metaphor for an abusive relationship disguised as a bouncy mid-tempo electro-pop confection, while “Adieu” features echoey vocals lamenting a failed relationship over a sparse pulsing beat.

Crafting Techna

For Techna, Christer wanted to build an album on the heavy dance beats that echo through her favourite music –- such as electronic artists Miss Kittin and The Knife. She has no qualms about crafting fun, frivolous dance music, and can even appreciate the value of the well-crafted mainstream pop tunes derided by sneering music critics.

“I like a lot of commercial pop,” Christer says. “I’m not afraid to say that I like Justin or Britney … I don’t think pop artists get enough credit. If a song is memorable and it stays in your head, it’s a success. It doesn’t matter if it’s a guitar song, a Britney song, or a Christer song. It’s about resonating with your audience. That’s what I think song writing is about.”

Although Christer feels that “it’s good to have superficial moments” with her songs, Techna is hardly a vacuous party album. Christer’s lyrics are underscored by assertions of feminine strength and she explores darker territory with tracks like “Cadaver,” which is about violence towards women.

As for her song-writing process, Christer prefers to compose her music first and allow her lyrics to naturally flow from the melody, which often results in stream-of-consciousness verses that contain what she calls “surreal, weird imagery.” Her skittering dance track “Kooch,” features Christer cooing “green magic beans a trampoline heavenly/beads purple sheen limousine poetry” over an insistent synth rhythm.

“Tori Amos has very random lyrics,” she says, citing one of her early influences. “She tells a story with her tone and delivery. I believe in that approach –- song-writing doesn’t have to be direct.”

As she plays around with drum loops and melodies, Christer allows the mood of her music to dictate the subject matter of her lyrics.

“I start recording scraps of melody, humming and singing –- and suddenly a line will appear.”

Standing apart from the crowd

Christer’s steadfast allegiance to electronic music defines her as an artist and has inadvertently placed her in a unique position amongst local musicians. Her particular brand of dance music is a rarity on the west coast, and has the singer pining for more local electro flavour.

“I think Canada, especially western Canada, is lacking in the electro-pop department,” she laments. “It’s hard to find great DJs. When you go to a club, it’s mostly Top 40 and gangster rap.”

With a scant following for electro in Vancouver, Christer stands out amongst a sea of rockers.

“I’m often told that I’m so unique and so different, even though I’m directly inspired by much more sophisticated artists,” she says modestly.

“In Vancouver, it’s true, I do stand out. They see a chick composing her own beats and it seems fresh and exciting. It’s easier to make an impression –- it’s not another rock band performing at Pub 340.”

Christer concedes that unfortunately, a bias still exists in North America towards electronic music.

“I think people don’t connect to the lyrics in the same way they might to a heartfelt acoustic ballad,” she says. “People find it alienating and superficial –- less relatable.”

Christer refuses to be limited by traditionalist views that condemn electronic music and recognizes the potential superficiality of her genre, but she actively manipulates the conceit to her advantage. To Christer, and fans of electro/techno, the primal energy that emanates from dance music is a powerful unifying force.

“Some of my best moments in my life have been on a dance floor,” she says.

Musical roots

Although Christer is now primarily an electronic artist, she began delving into music by playing classical and flamenco guitar for nine years. Her early influences were singer-songwriters like Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, and PJ Harvey.

Christer’s prolific song writing led to gigs around Halifax as a young teen, where she even took to the streets with her guitar to busk. As she got older she delved into the rave scene, and her musical tastes shifted towards techno, drum and bass, and jungle.

“I was raving every weekend and I kind of abandoned song writing,” she says. “The guitar wasn’t cool to me anymore.”

A move to Vancouver in 2003 to study creative writing at the University of British Columbia resulted in the resurrection of Christer’s song writing prowess. She enrolled in a lyric and libretto writing class taught by professor Meryn Cadell –- an accomplished Canadian musician –- and found herself succeeding at her old hobby.

“I hadn’t done it [song writing] for years so I was really terrified,” Christer says. “I wrote a song on the guitar for the class and got a great reaction. I was really surprised.”

With an impressive self-released and co-produced album already under her belt, it’s an exciting prospect to consider how this sparkling beat machine and dedicated artist will continue to evolve.