Category: Electronic

Lotus Rocks Terminal 5

On Saturday, February 6, Lotus played Terminal 5 in NYC and brought some serious funk and covers for this stop on their Winter tour.

Arriving at the venue, the line stretched almost the entire length to the West Side Highway. Faces of eager fans contorted and cringed at the thought of waiting in the cold to see Lotus bring the heat. Once inside, the familiar funk of “Greet the Mind” warmed things up a bit; it’s a great opener in terms of getting everyone grooving and in terms of title. Lotus continued the funk with “Philly Hit” and then laid into some heavy jamtronica grooves with “Neon Tubes.” We were only three songs in and it seemed as though the crowd were bobbing their heads and weaving their shoulders in unison. They closed out their first set with “Age of Inexperience” which had guitarist Mike Rempel laying down some fiery licks.

Second set opened with “Eats the Light,” a newly released single which is a Lotus track in every way, shape and layer. Keeping the flow with “Kodiak,” “Spaghetti,” and “Nematode,” Lotus jumped into an excellent vocoder-laden cover of Tame Impala’s “Elephant.” For their encore, Lotus played “Behind Midwest Storefronts” and then busted out an amazing rendition of Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime.”

Set 1: Greet The Mind> Philly Hit> Neon Tubes, Molluskunk, Travel> Greet The Mind, Marisol, Age Of Inexperience

Set 2: Eats the Light, Kodiak, Spaghetti> Nematode, Elephant*, In An Outline, 128

Encore: Behind Midwest Storefronts, Once in a Lifetime**

* – Tame Impala Cover

** – Talking Heads Cover

February 19, 2016
Catey Shaw Ends Tour at Knitting Factory

For those hardy enough to brace for the biting cold wind blowing through the streets and alleys of Brooklyn on Saturday February 13, the Knitting Factory was one haven where one could duck in and enjoy some quality homegrown live music in an intimate atmosphere. Locally based rising pop star Catey Shaw was the headlining entertainer, but openers Gillian and Memoryy were just as much a part of the experience for anyone present early enough to catch them.

Gillian is a band that sounds like it came together as the result of getting just the right alt-rock junkies with just the right record collections together at just the right time in just the right place. They unabashedly own the stage, the band members emphatically traversing in every direction while projecting their tight and polished riff and vocal hook driven pop rock to an attentive audience. Despite all this confidence and cohesion, they don’t come across as trying to be anything more than what they are: a Brooklyn band well worth seeing. Over the course of their 45-minute set, Gillian demonstrated impressive versatility, nimbly navigating tempo changes and dynamic shifts and integrating a guest two-piece horn section into their lineup. The switching off between male and female lead vocals and use of rough-and-ready harmonies kept one guessing at just where this band draws its inspiration but indicated that these fun loving musicians are more than schooled in rock and roll history and infused with the spirit of the same. Gillian’s primary goal in performing music seems to be to have a great time. Warming up the Knitting Factory stage on Saturday, they took several dozen folks along for the ride and set the tone for an engaging evening of rocking and dancing, holed up out of the cold in this cozy little hole-in-the-wall club.

Next up the curly haired synth-pop maestro Shaun Hettinger, a.k.a. Memoryy, stepped onstage with his 5-piece band. Hettinger’s unassuming demeanor and almost self-deprecating nonchalance as he introduced his band and bantered throughout their set may have allowed one to overlook his understated passion for warm electronic pop if one wasn’t paying close attention. A sense of ’80s nostalgia pervaded Memoryy’s music, but there was also kid-in-a-candy-shop innocence and the plainly personal sentimentality of a 21^st century workaday musician who hasn’t been able to help writing songs as a reflexive habit since childhood. Working in his preferred medium with a band he put together years ago under another name and just now reassembled for the first time in a while, Hettinger could barely contain his passion for this project enough to keep his fingers in contact with the keys as his body jerked about in much the same way as some of his more enthusiastic fans on the floor. This particular Memoryy set had an added layer of significance as it marked Hettinger’s final performance as a Brooklyn resident, and he made sure to point out just how special it felt to be playing again with the same four guys he first played with in New York City. The packed room showed Memoryy a lot of love.

At 11 PM the lights dimmed for the third time, and a trio of clean-cut fellows clad in mod suits ambled on to the stage. After situating themselves behind instruments and striking up a punchy rhythm, Catey Shaw appeared at the back corner of the stage dressed for the weather in a full-length off-white fur coat. Shuffling up to the microphone without much pomp, it was clear from the get-go where the artist wanted the audience’s attention to be focused: on the songs. No distracting choreography, props or other visuals were provided that could have taken away from the raw presentation of the songs that Shaw clearly takes a lot of pride in. The hour-long set consisted of all but one of the tracks from The Brooklyn EP plus a few more recently released singles. The still-small repertoire of this budding pop chanteuse holds together pleasingly onstage as it spans from folksy to bubblegum to synthpop revival.

The energy was ratcheted up early in the set with the fiery “Walks All Over You,” a pre-Valentine’s warning to all those prone to being played for fools by a blazing beauty. The anthemic “Brooklyn Girls,” which was met with some criticism upon its release in 2014, was nonetheless delivered with confidence and zest by Shaw after she announced that this hometown gig was also the culmination of her seven-date east coast tour. Coasting off the pep of the preceding party-starter tunes, the crowd swayed to the dreamily optimistic “Revolution” and continued to ride the decreasing tempos until Shaw put on a slightly more earnest face and sang the poignant ballad “Show Up,” with the studio track’s piano replaced by gentle, clean electric guitar.

The remainder of the set was a string of Shaw’s danciest and most satisfying material. A cover of Drake’s spacey R&B jam “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” was received with a surge of enthusiasm from all the dancers on the floor. Shaw’s two newest singles, the Maroon-5-esque “Tell Everyone” and the deep and bouncy “The Ransom,” came up next. These sleek and heavily ’80s-influenced ragers were full of glistening, icy guitar, but the triggered synth lines that make these tunes so fresh on record added a sense of incongruity in the concert setting where a live keyboardist could have achieved more depth and balance. The band did play these songs for all they were worth, the guitarist and bassist breaking away from their rigidly held positions onstage to feed off of each other and rock out, leaning back with knees in the air and fingers working their instruments so as to squeeze as much excitement out of them as possible in these penultimate moments of the performance. Shaw picked up her ukulele and brought the set to a close with “Human Contact,” the most reliable tune in her arsenal. Not quite ready to let the show end there, she quickly reemerged with uke still in hand after the band quit the stage to give a solo encore performance of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love,” hearkening back to her days busking on the subway. Catey Shaw was happy to be back home in Brooklyn, and well over 200 Brooklyners were happy to be there with her at the Knitting Factory.

Setlist: Walks All Over You, Brooklyn Girls, Revolution, Night Go Slow, Show Up, Outerspace, Hold On We’re Going Home (Drake cover), Tell Everyone, The Ransom, Human Contact

Encore: Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin cover)

February 16, 2016
Hearing Aide: Future Rock “Daft Rock Live”

Fans of the French electronic duo Daft Punk, rejoice! Err…perhaps clap energetically. While Daft Punk rarely performs in the United States, one group that covers them, Future Rock, has recently released Daft Rock Live, a full, 13-track song featuring the very best of their live Daft Punk covers. Album releases go hand-in-hand with tours, meaning American fans can get taste of the interstellar sounds of Daft Punk right here in the United States including performances at Euphoria Fest and Electronic Forest.

Have a dance party in your living room. Future Rock’s latest release covers songs from a variety of albums spanning from Daft Punk’s debut album, Homework, released in 1997, to their most recent and Grammy-winning album, Random Access Memories.

The cover album is spot on. Future Rock loops their live drums, keys and bass to create an electronic astronomical audio journey that precisely parallels the originals of their muse. One can’t help but picture themselves with a futuristic helmet and spandex suit hurtling through space as the songs aggressively crescendo and then subside with dance-mandatory grooves.

The album begins with covers like “Robot Rock” and the frequently sampled “Technologic” from the 2005 album Human After All. Future Rock provides their own flavor to “Technologic,” the first of three Future Rock mixes on the album. “Around the World,” perhaps one Daft Punk’s more popular songs, is the fourth song on the album and covered true to original form.

The rest of the album is heavily focused on the 2001 Daft Punk release, Discovery. This album was featured in the animated film, “Interstella 555.” This includes “Crescendolls,” named after the film’s fictional protagonist band, which is teased in later songs as well as “One More Time,” although this song is not listed as a full track.

Other tracks include teases of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” made famous to non-fans by Kanye West’s sampling in 2009. The tracks weave songs from different albums into one, as Daft Punk themselves often do during live performances. Several of the tracks include sounds of a crowd cheering and singing, reminding the listener that these are indeed live recordings.

The album ends with “Contact,” from Random Access Memories, which is uplifting, fun and the perfect ending to the audio space odyssey the listener has engaged in throughout the album. It again teases “One More Time,” reminding the listener of where they’ve been.

With repetition, intense crescendos and high-energy rhythms, Future Rock covers Daft Punk with precision that so closely resembles the real thing, it’s hard to decipher the difference when listening to the songs at parallel. Even when adding their own mix, it only adds to the thrill. Daft Rock Live leaves a craving for a live performance. If their live performances sound like this, it certainly wouldn’t feel like settling to see these guys instead of the real thing.

Key Tracks: Aerodynamic – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, Around the World, The Prime Time Of Your Life – The Brainwasher – Rollin’ & Scratchin’

February 16, 2016
Catey Shaw Coming to Knitting Factory Brooklyn

Rising pop star Catey Shaw will headline a triple bill this Saturday, Feb. 13 at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn. The lineup will feature three locally based performers dishing out plenty of synth-driven music to dance to, plus a healthy dose of indie rock.

Shaw is still fairly new to the pop world, but her distinctive voice is showcased on two EPs and several singles, the earliest of which, “Family,” earned her a performing spot on The Queen Latifah Show back in 2013. Having started out playing in New York City subway stations, Shaw is now touring the country. The creative instrumentals produced by Jay Levine for Shaw’s studio recordings are brought to life by the live band she is touring with. Fans will see Shaw alternately strumming a ukulele and howling over the slap-bass and gritty synths backing her catchy hooks. Catey Shaw has been recording since 2012 and is currently seeing new success with singles “Tell Everyone” and “The Ransom.”

Supporting Shaw this Saturday night will be Memoryy, the moniker used by Shaun Hettinger for his self-released electro/synthpop musical output. When not writing film scores and music for television commercials, Hettinger pours his love of ’80s synth giants Depeche Mode and New Order and more recent inspirations like Cut Copy into his own brand of pop that accomplishes everything from ruminating on falling in love to setting the tone for summer pool parties. Memoryy will warm up the Knitting Factory stage, perhaps giving attendees a taste of his slick new take on Blue Öyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” just released last month.

Brooklyn-based indie-rock five-piece Gillian will open the show. The bright and upbeat riff-driven pop tunes on their most recent EP Colorize make this band a natural fit for the evening’s lineup. Vocalist Kym Hawkins’ strong, rich voice is a rival to that of Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino. Check out Gillian’s music on Bandcamp.

Doors at the Knitting Factory open at 8 p.m. this Saturday, and the show starts at 9 p.m.

February 10, 2016
Anthology Will Host the Rochester Revival

In early March, the new venue in the East End of Rochester, Anthology, will host a two-day celebration of roots and Americana music called Rochester Revival 2016.

Pennsylvania’s emergent jam-grass heroes Cabinet will return to Rochester to headline the first evening of music on Friday, March 4. Also on the bill that night are fellow ‘grass and dust-kickers The Blind Owl Band from Saranac Lake and The Prickers from Naples.

The party continues early Saturday afternoon for a full day and night of ear-pleasing, foot-stomping fun. Oyster Bay’s electro-prog instrumental powerhouse TAUK will provide a massive sonic cleanse when they close out the mini-festival late Saturday night.

Leading up to the grand finale will include the introduction of two new Rochester groups and one of the oldest and most beloved bands of Rochester. Aaron Lipp, who has played keys for Robert Randolph, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad and the Campbell Brothers, has assembled a new band which will play their premiere performance at this event. Another Dub Squad player, guitarist Dylan Savage, will also introduce a new band with Wil McKenna of RootsCollider called the Medicinals. Rochester’s very own gospel legends The Campbell Brothers are slated to bring their classic sacred steel style that is tried, true and always a great time. Other announced bands include Josh Rollins, Personal Blend and the Honey Smugglers, with more to be announced soon.

Mark March 4 and 5 down in your calendars. It’s a weekend that will showcase music from all across New York state including a dip into our neighbor Pennsylvania, so make plans now to come and show your support. Tickets are on sale now at the Anthology website. Admission is $12 for Friday and $24 for Saturday, or $32 gets you in for the whole weekend. A great deal for a great deal of music!

February 5, 2016
Lotus and El Ten Eleven Electrify the F Shed

It was a study in contrast Saturday night at the F Shed in Syracuse. Two bands took the stage, each playing their own electro-infused brand of instrumental rock. Two bands at the opposite poles of the same current. Listening to recordings of the bands, you might have a tough time discerning what is creating the sounds. Seeing the music created live on stage, could be an educational experience.

Opener El Ten Eleven, a bass and drums duo out of Southern California, is probably best known for their soundtracks of Gary Hustwit’s trilogy of popular design documentaries, Helvetica, Objectified and Urbanized. Like Explosions in the Sky with Friday Night Lights, behind those movies’ sound is a hard-working band with multiple albums and a penchant for wowing crowds with their memorable live performances.

Kristian Dunn, wielding either a double neck guitar and bass, or a fretless bass, has a massive bank of looping and effects pedals at his disposal, and Tim Fogarty with synthesized and standard drums in his kit, also makes use of looping and effects. Together they composed complex infectiously melodic rock nuggets, layering theme over theme over theme over impossible beats. The band of two becomes a quartet and increases in size and complexity, as the two humans are joined by their electronic echoes.

Playing for the first time in Syracuse, El Ten Eleven ran through an early-starting yet energetic 45 minute set that had most in the filling venue either jaws agape or grooving happily. For those intrigued or wanting more, Western New York gets a chance to see them at full power in small clubs next month, with shows at Mohawk Place in Buffalo and the Bug Jar in Rochester on February 26 and 27 respectively.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhjr8Htgtzw[/embedyt]

No stranger to Syracuse, headliner Lotus were the 1 to El Ten Eleven’s 0, or perhaps more accurately, the 01 00 to their 10 11. The quintet features Mike Rempel on guitar, Jesse Miller on bass and keys, Mike Greenfield on drums, Luke Miller on guitar and keyboards, and Chuck Morris on percussion. By their set time, the F Shed was fully packed and ready to party.

While their music isn’t devoid of looping, they make more sparse and subtle use of it than the front and center way El Ten Eleven employed it. Instead, Lotus relied more on their five strong lineup. The tunes were similarly electronic-leaning upbeat and catchy rock jams. With El Ten Eleven, the beauty lies in the creation and structure of the songs. With Lotus, on the other hand, the beauty comes when they broke through the song stucture. In tight four to six minute segments, El Ten Eleven ended their songs just as you were figuring them out. Lotus continued to explore a song until you couldn’t remember even where it began.

There were times when what Lotus was playing could sound very similar to what El Ten Eleven had laid down earlier in the evening. But the way that each band arrived at that point was very different. Whether it be Fogarty drumming on Dunn’s bass for that perfect rhythmic loop, or the Miller twins switching back and forth between synths, samples and guitars, each band took unique approaches to cull the exact landscapes they desired.

Like a genre super computer, Lotus pulled from funk, house, hip hop, jazz and more, concocting perfectly groovy and unique blends on the fly, that kept the young crowd in constant motion. The deeper and further they stretched it, the better it got. The band steered the music expertly through twists and turns, discovering sparks of energy around unexplored dark corners. Rempel’s thoughtful and blistering guitar work was a consistent highlight, but each member contributed heavily in impressive full band improvisations throughout the show’s two sets.

Lotus featured a spectacular light show. Color changing LED lanterns hung behind and in front of the stage and were also sprinkled around the musicians. Additionally, three different types of mobile LED lights lined the back, while additional lights lit up the ceiling above the band with moving patterns. The multi-dimensional lighting was able to match whatever the band was turning out, morphing the stage from song to song, jam to jam, note to note. All in all, it was plenty enough to turn a shed in the middle of a farmer’s market into a proper Saturday night dance party.

Setlist:
Set 1: Middle Road> Massif, Sunrain> Expired Slang> Sunrain, Pachyderm, Spiritualize
Set 2: Suitcases And Sandwiches, Basin to Benin, Neon Tubes, Soma, Eats the Light, Philly Hit> 128> Umbilical Moonset> 128
Encore: Behind Midwest Storefronts

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February 4, 2016
Thursday Nights in February at Funk n Waffles Presented by NYS Music

We’re deep into winter, or somewhere at the start of spring, depending on how you look at it. The weather however, if great at Funk n Waffles in Syracuse, and NYS Music is proud to present Thursday nights throughout February at the popular downtown venue.

February 4 – Normal Instruments

A supergroup creating brand new music every single night – all improvisation, every time – kicks things off on February 4 in grand fashion. Featuring Michael Carter from The Indobox, Jules Jenssen from Ross Jenssen, Matt Beckett from Cosmic Dust Bunnies and Jeff Bujak of Bujak Live, Normal Instruments is one of the most unique jamtronica bands in the scene today.

February 11 – Root SHOCK with West End Blend

Root SHOCK blends roots reggae, dancehall, heavy drum & bass, and soulful vocals with conscious lyrics into positive dance music will make you want to move. The band has been surprising and delighting crowds across the Central New York region and beyond, bringing their unique high-energy style spearheaded by the stunning vocals of Jessica Brown to a wide range of settings. The band’s dedication to spreading music with a positive message has paid off in entertaining, elevating, and energizing music lovers of all walks of life! 2016 promises to be an explosive year for Root Shock, as they’ve finally made time to record their first studio album, are anchoring a monthly Syracuse reggae night designed to bring the best and most diverse acts that modern reggae has to offer to the area. They’re not stopping there though; the band is set to hit the road to spread their uplifting message and vibes and take their renowned live performances to the masses!

Since their conception, ten piece band West End Blend has been playing their version of pop, funk and soul in venues all over the Northeast. Fronted by vocalist Erica Bryan, the band pays homage to classic throwback sounds while adding their own distinct vibe and flair. West End Blend boasts a fourpiece horn section, two guitars, bass, keyboards and drums packing the group onto stages every night. From humble beginnings in an epic basement funk dance party, The Blend’s goal has always been to bring a party atmosphere to every show and venue ever since.The Blend just released their debut full length record, Rewind, on September 26. Recorded at Telefunken Elektroakustik with engineer Brendan Morawski in CT, the band is proud to present the kick off to the next step in their career. West End Blend is just getting started and there’s so much to do. But right now… it’s time for them to pile into the van. This juggernaut of a funk and soul band is ready to hit the pavement.

February 18 – Bob Holz: A Vision Forward

Composer/drummer Bob Holz is one of New York’s most experienced and in-demand band leaders. An alumni of Berklee School of Music, Bob majored in performance and composition with teachers Gary Chaffee and Michael Gibbs. He went on to study privately with Dave Weckl and Billy Cobham. He also found a mentor in drummer Wilby Fletcher Jr.( McCoy Tyner). Holz has composed and played on numerous live and studio recordings, movie sound tracks and theatrical productions. Perhaps his most well know movie sound track was for the major motion picture entitled Show Your Love directed by Edward J. Bruno for VCA films. Holz has also toured extensively as a band leader (The Bob Holz Band).

Holz played at the 1999 Woodstock Music Festival in New York. He also performed along with Dr. John at a coveted awards ceremony at the 2006 M&T Jazz Festival in Syracuse, NY. In 2010 he traveled to Memphis to participate and perform as a finalist in the W.C. Handy Blues Awards.

February 25 – The Moho Collective with Boots n’ Shorts

The Moho Collective lives in a world with no words. In fact, they make it a point to convey their story without any vocals at all. The Rochester NY based instrumental trio knows how to push the envelope stylistically and tonally yet keep their audience engaged with exciting arrangements and a wide range of dynamics. Drummer Ryan Barclay, guitarist Kurt Johnson, and bassist Justin Rister combine disparate influences ranging from the Allman Brothers and the Meters to Sigur Ros and the visual loops of Dutch graphic artist M. C. Escher. Expect to hear things you like and maybe something you don’t. The range of this band is vast yet accessible for all audiences. TMC at some points will move your feet and at other times challenge your ears. Don’t let the size fool you, TMC packs a huge sound into a 3 piece package that doesn’t disappoint.

Boots n’ Shorts carries on the tradition of old-time music while making it relevant to a modern audience. Meeting at the crossroads of mountain music and the merry pranksters, they introduce new sounds to old-timers and old sounds to new-timers. Blending backgrounds in bluegrass, folk, old-time, jazz, blues, and psychedelic rock,BnS has a large repertoire of original music, classics, and traditional tunes.

All shows start at 8pm each night. Visit Funk n Waffles for more info

February 4, 2016
Annie in the Water returning to Funk ‘n Waffles with St. Lenox

On Friday, February 5 Annie in the Water will be returning to Funk ‘n Waffles with St. Lenox who are sure to bring a unique mix to downtown Syracuse.

Annie in the Water whose roots remain in Watertown NY, will be making their second stop on their 2016 Tour here in Syracuse NY, bringing their positive vibes to numerous venues throughout Vermont, Maine, Potsdam NY, Troy NY, Wilmington NY and their homestead Watertown. Founding members Brad Hester (vocals/percussion/guitar/looper) and Michael Lashomb (guitar/vocals) and featured member Dillon Goodfriend (keys) are sure warm the atmosphere with a mixture of high energy reggae/rock and uplifting lyricism.

Andrew Choi is the incredibly talented singer/songwriter behind St. Lenox, with Chris Hills / Nick Fed (guitar), Jorge Vega/Brandon Vitruls and Todd Celmar (drums), Chris Bolognese (bass) and Fritz Chrysler (mp3 Player). St. Lenox is a smooth mixture of jazz, classical music and electronica. Andrew Choi’s will surely bring some depth to the stage with some powerful lyrics from his debut album Ten Songs About Memory and Hope released on January 20, 2015. Andrew hopes to release their newest album titled Ten songs from my American Gothic in the Spring of 2016.

Doors open at 8:00 pm, show starts at 9:00 pm. Get tickets here.

February 3, 2016
Break Science Live Band Barrels Over Brooklyn Bowl

Borahm Lee and Adam Deitch are two of Brooklyn’s busiest producer/musicians. Just days before embarking on a western U.S. tour as drummer for funk band Lettuce, Deitch and his collaborator Lee, known collectively as Break Science, nailed a pair of back-to-back hometown gigs at Brooklyn Bowl. While night one featured a rare performance by “Manic Science,” a.k.a. Break Science joined by Chicago-based producer Manic Focus, the second night was all Break Science. The Break Science Live Band, to be precise, with members of Lettuce in tow.

The music of Break Science is a fusion of much of what you might see and hear over time if you frequent shows at Brooklyn Bowl. It’s the sonic vision of two producer-musicians whose passion is to mash up elements culled from the broad array of musical projects they have respectively participated in, deeply rooted in hip-hop and spanning the worlds of EDM to funk and dub. Different musical eras and styles are combined in such a way that the only possible reaction for a fan on the floor at a Break Science show is to dance and give up hope of trying to explain the experience. Words were not necessary as the crowd packing the Bowl buzzed and bounced on Friday night, awash in the vibrance of the rich colors and raging music emanating from the stage.

Hot on the heels of sizzling DJ sets from Marvel Years and Dreamer’s Delight, Break Science broke through the intervening chatter and hum appearing in classic fashion: Deitch on the kit and Lee at the keys, holding it down unaccompanied for the first few songs. While Lee and Deitch are more than capable of rocking crowds for a whole night as an electronica duo, the Live Band situates them in the center of a cross between an EDM performance and a futuristic funk-rock band.

After getting their set off to a smoking start, the duo introduced renowned beatboxer Rahzel, who gripped the audience’s attention with an impeccable exposé of technical precision and endurance, keeping the party rocking for a good 15 minutes using only his lungs, mouth and a microphone while Break Science took a short break. Deitch returned to back Rahzel on drums before welcoming back the full band and giving Rahzel a chance to rap.

From then on the crowd roiled ecstatically as samples and vocal tracks were interwoven seamlessly with analog instrumentation and live vocalists with a finesse indicative of years of experience both in front of and behind mixing boards on the part of the core duo. The brilliance of the live horns contributed greatly to the immediacy of the band’s vibe and the organic, human warmth that made fans feel immersed in the pulsating anthems rumbling the room. A big highlight came towards the end of the set with an intense unleashing of the spiritually uplifting “Force of Nature,” a single released back in October.

The Break Science Live Band demonstrated itself to be capable of birthing a vibe and morphing it through various forms. There is nothing like a good drummer laying down an arousing hip-hop beat, and it was Deitch’s role to do just that as the rhythmic center of the band, around which the other musical elements mixed and reacted in mystic alchemical fashion. His kinetically impactful drumming was instrumental in maintaining the sense of infectious excitement that lasted throughout the show. In the midst of the ever-shifting musical tapestry, guitarist Smirnoff would at times strum a groovy rhythm while Lee sent synth melodies snaking through the sonic ether. The Shady Horns would periodically punctuate instrumental passages with fiery harmonized jabs and contribute solos throughout the set. Other times the band would fall in behind Rahzel, CX or Bajah on the mic, or even back a vocal track with such delicacy that it would feel like the singer on the recording was present onstage. Coomes and Smirnoff of Lettuce brought their neo-funk musicality to the bass and guitar parts so that tunes envisioned and composed electronically became the living, breathing reality of the band killing it on the Brooklyn Bowl stage. Lee, the other half of the core duo, occupied center stage somewhat in the manner of an orchestra conductor, except that instead of waving a baton, he led the band by masterfully manipulating his rig of keyboards and electronics to dish out the hooks, harmonies and samples that are the heart and soul of Break Science’s music.

The cultural cornucopia that is Break Science should prompt a bit of reflection on what it is to be a part of or to bear witness to New York City’s musical traditions. It is truly awe-inspiring to see two guys who have been around the circuit so extensively bring together such a committed and well attuned cast of characters and utterly tear the roof off the sucker. But that’s just what Break Science does.

February 2, 2016
Break Science to Break it Down Back to Back in Brooklyn

Brooklyn-based electronica duo Break Science will put on back-to-back hometown shows this week at Brooklyn Bowl.

Break Science is the project of Adam Deitch (drums) and Borahm Lee (keys). The duo fuses its hip-hop roots with dub and funk influences and a smattering of electronic styles to create a fusion music that rumbles and moves bodies. Both collaborators have extensive experience playing in other bands (Lettuce, Pretty Lights Live Band, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Matisyahu), and Deitch has produced the likes of 50 Cent, Redman and Talib Kweli.

In the past few months, Break Science have released the acclaimed single “Force of Nature” ft. Paperwhite and have toured the US. They’re set to appear at the Gem & Jam Festival in Tuscon, AZ, in February. In the midst of this activity, these Brooklyn Bowl gigs will showcase Dietch and Lee playing in two different live band configurations.

Thursday, January 28, will feature Break Science performing in conjunction with Manic Focus, the musical project of likeminded Chicago-based artist John “JmaC” McCarten. The High & Mighty Brass Band Horns and CX will round out the band. Artifakts and Brasstracks will open.

Friday, January 29, will feature the Break Science Live Band comprised of The Shady Horns, Adam “Shmmeans” Smirnoff and Jesus Coomes of Lettuce, Rahzel, CX and Bajah. Marvel Years and Dreamers Delight will open. Doors open at 6 PM and music starts at 8 PM both evenings.

January 26, 2016