To some ears, Racermason's languorous, seductive electronica sounds best on nights like tonight, in winter, when snow's falling. Guitarist-keyboardist Derek Lashua disagrees. To the self-described audiophile, his music isn't cold; it's wet, thick, and sticky. In 1996, when trip-hop was hitting its stride, Lashua and singer Mandy Lascko were beginning to work together, fronting the alt-rock band the Frans. Over the next four years, the band collected accolades, including Scene readers'-choice awards for best female vocalist, drummer, and regional rock band. The group appeared on numerous CD compilations and toured as far away as Texas, supporting an indie-release LP and an EP that was part of a development deal with Columbia Records. By 1999, they were all Franned out. Lashua and Lascko disappeared from the scene, holed up in their apartment, and went on a steady diet of ambient-pop Hooverphonic, rock-as-art Radiohead, and trip-hop. The couple emerged in winter 2000, sharing their songs with Derek's brother Brett Lashua, a drummer who was playing in the Kent-based trip-hop act Full Blown Kirk -- just one blossoming project of Joe Minadeo, a prolific producer-musician fast growing into Akron music's benevolent Godfather. Brett played Racermason for Joe. Joe invited them to his studio. The four began collaborating with Minadeo on bass, working on individual parts in their home studios, e-mailing mp3 files back and forth. Over the next two years, they developed the makings of

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