Courtesy photo

THEY ARE: The Green

MEMBERS: Carlos Santiago (guitar, synthesizers, vocals, production); Anne Noel (vocals, keyboards); Chris Pantuso (percussion)

THE SOUND: Trip-hop/downtempo electronica featuring Noel's haunting vocals and what Santiago calls “future sexy beats.”

THE WEB: listentothegreen.com; myspace.com/thegreentriphop

ALBUMS: Emancipation (2006)

THE BACKGROUND: Carlos Santiago, a member of the acoustic rock group Saving Dawn, originally conceived of The Green as a purely instrumental project. Then he decided he wanted a female vocalist but didn't think he could find one in San Antonio. He was making plans to move to Los Angeles when he heard Anne Noel singing at a club in 2006. “She was exactly what I was looking for. I decided to stay here and work with her,” he said. “When she's singing, the crowd gets captivated.” Pantuso was another member of Saving Dawn who also attended Clark High School and Texas A&M with Santiago.

THEIR WORDS: “No one sings like me. I'm not saying I have the best voice, but I've never heard anyone who sounds like me.” — Anne Noel

WHERE TO SEE THEM: The White Rabbit on Dec. 29. The Green often incorporates fusion bellydancing and video in live shows.

THE 210 TAKE: In a city where heavy metal, Tejano and country rule, the Green is trying to build up the electronica scene, and that's to be commended. “The state of electronica in San Antonio is like a little baby who has just been born. As far as European downtempo, we're it. Some people have never heard this kind of music,” Santiago said. But “people are becoming more comfortable with our sound. I think we have a chance to really start something.” Check out the single “Never Change” on the Goa Chillout Zone Vol. 1 compilation, to be released by the W.O.A. International label on Jan. 5.

Jessica Belasco | 210SA Contributor