If the name Twin Temple sounds familiar to you now, it could be because of that unfortunate bit of unpleasantness with Charley Crockett. The iconic alternative music duo was set to open a run of shows for the country singer, but once he found out they were a Satanic doo-wop band, he dropped them.
I would highly encourage you to familiarize yourself with their music, but also, can we give it up for alternative duos in general?
The brilliant collaborative efforts of two incredible creatives, converging to bring the world joy in the form of clever, radiant music. With this in mind, let’s talk about a few other crucial musical duos, starting with a newer pairing.
Honey Revenge
Honey Revenge is a Los Angeles duo formed by vocalist Devin Papadol and guitarist Donny Lloyd. Together, they make alt-pop-rock reminiscent of The Home Team or Emarosa.
There’s a fun and bright quality to their sound, comprised of head-bobbing beats and lush melodies. Above, you can check out one of their more recent singles, “Run Your Mouth”, which is an all-encompassing example of their guitar-driven bubblegum-groove tunes.
Honey Revenge has been headlining the 2026 Summer School Tour, with their new album—Loving and Losing—set to release on Sept. 19, 2026.
Boy Harsher
Originating in Savannah, Georgia, darkwave alt-duo Boy Harsher have been carving out their path through the electronic music genre for more than a decade. Their sound oscillates from gritty and dark to upbeat and melodious, but never anything less than genius.
As the Boy Harsher pair, vocalist Jae Matthews and producer Augustus Muller are basically the modern-day Eurythmics. The duo has dozens of killer tracks under their collective belt, including the 2014 song “Pain”, which was featured in Dameon Leone’s Terrifier 2 (2022).
What I want to recommend, though, is their newest tune, “Hard Beat”. (It dropped an hour literally before I wrote this.) The song is romantically melancholic, with a satisfyingly indulgently retro beat. Look out for their new album, Get Mean, also releasing on Sept. 18, 2026.
Sylvan Esso
Following the electronic path a little ways upward from Boy Harsher in Savannah, we reach Durham, North Carolina, the hometown of electropop alt-duo Sylvan Esso. Otherwise known as Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn.
Originally formed in 2013, I’ll confess it wasn’t until their 2017 song “Die Young” that Sylvan Esso landed on my radar. After that, I became an instant fan. (I finally got to see them live at Bumbershoot 2025, in Seattle, and their set was fantastic.)
For years, Sylvan Esso has captivated fans through their fascinating blend of electronic and organic musical methods, and they are not slowing down now. They just dropped a new single, “Concrete Glen”—which you can hear above—from their forthcoming new album, Ow ∞.
The post Now That You Know Twin Temple, Here Are 3 Other Iconic Alternative Duos You Should Be Listening To appeared first on VICE.
