NYS Music 20​17

Category: Electronic

  • Balance and Composure ‘Afterparty’ Breaks Out for Night 2 at Monty Hall

    Reflection: Who did I really see? What turned out as a spontaneous, nearly three hour drive from New York’s capital region to Jersey City to catch Doylestown, PA natives Balance and Composure for a low key night of alternative rock, grunge and some newfound shoegazey material, quickly turned into what can be described as a Balance and Composure after party, an appropriate nod to a popular track on their latest album. I’ve been to my fair share of B&C shows and lets just say this one does not conventionally belong among the rest.

    Queens of Jean and From Indian Lakes opened up the second Monty Hall gig of the weekend on April 23 before the three groups took the reigns of their US. Spring 2017 tour. Frontman Jon Simmons took to the stage to prep for the set ahead–along with two other non-band members, which quickly generated buzz among the loitering fans. Simmons guitarist Andy Slaymaker and drummer Bailey Van Ellis, took their respective spots on stage, however, guitarist Erik Petersen and bassist Matt Warner were nowhere to be seen.

    Taking a glance around the tightly packed venue, it was evident that the calmer and probably older Balance and Composure veterans sat toward the back while the younger crowd channeled their energy and pushed their bodies to the forefront of the room. The two unknown members turned out to be members of the Doylestown, PA group on hiatus, Superheaven, bringing an evident “pop punkier” sound throughout the set.

    Without lineup explanation or further ado,  Simmons briefly addressed the crowd, thanking everyone for coming out for night two at Monty Hall in Jersey City– a place they’ve yet to play or “even knew existed.” It was clear Balance and Composure 2.0 was ready to kick things off for a night of fun, even with the unconventional or unexpected lineup. Making cryptic jokes and spewing one-off phrases and interjections throughout the show such as “well, let’s uh have some fun tonight” and “the band and I have taken a consensus…” I wasn’t sure if I had walked into the alternative rocker’s edition of The Twilight Zone or if Ashton Kutcher reprised Punk’d just for me, but confusion danced in the air as did I. Although not the run of the mill B&C show, there was only one thing to do– embrace it. (I later found out that Erik and Matt are in the midst of planning their own weddings. Congrats, guys!)

    The group’s third and most recent studio album, Light We Made, stirred up some fan controversy and genre expectations. With the help of producer Will Yip, they took a leap away from the grunge and angst given off on their debut album Separation and implemented auto tune and electronic drumming. Their sophomore release, The Things We Think We’re Missing, blended said genres with more wistful sounds and whimsical lyrics until their third album completely strayed away from their original angered disposition. Diving into Light We Made’s inaugural track for the opener, “Midnight Zone,” Simmons’ threw his hands in the air and began to groove, as the crowd followed. He began to sing through a mic which crafted his voice into the exact way it sounded on the album, certainly Kanye West-style auto tune, but airy and intriguing all at once.

    “Spinning” came next, further conjuring fans to dance and get movin’ before TTWTWM’s “Tiny Raindrop” and “When I Come Undone.” “Void” awakened the violent finger pointing, mosh veterans and long-time fans of the band, conjuring nostalgia and angst from their very first studio album which segued nicely into “Fade,” another heavy hitter. “For A Walk” definitely sits in its own category, as it uses mainly electronic sounds and beats and only makes sense it was delivered to the Monty Hall crowd during the band’s most electronic set to date. “Postcard” was fun to see in a live setting, as Bailey originally tracked the song with electronic drums. If you’ve ever heard of Balance and Composure, you know “Quake,” which was instantly proven as all sang along and rocked their heads to the classic fan-favorite. Next, the group executed  “Run From Me,” giving fans another opportunity to hear their latest Record Store Day project before a bust out of the calming and emotionally charged “Stonehands.” “Notice Me” found the most audience praise and participation as the ending lyrics and title were shouted loudly in repetitive unison with Simmons.

    “Afterparty” came next to accurately sum up the night’s theme. With a group of what seemed to be intoxicated high school girls screaming “well that was fun!” rap music blaring over venue speakers between sets, the makeshift lineup and the care-free, party mentality that Simmons displayed, it truly felt like the song’s namesake. A penultimate deliverance of “Reflection” and a final encore of “I Tore You Apart in My Head” found all fans pushing directly to the front. Whether you entered the Balance and Composure fandom at the grungy, ground level, jumped in during TTWTWM’s experimentation or just came into their new-found electronic explorations, all fans found themselves layered against one another for the final track of the night.

    I’m not sure if it was the atypical line-up, or the self-preparation before the show that shaped this one of a kind experience, but toss all factors together into a neat package and the hour and ten minute set proved to be quite a unique one– and one I’ll never forget. Balance and Composure never fails to deliver.

    Setlist: Midnight Zone, Spinning, Tiny Raindrop, When I Come Undone, Void, Fade, For A Walk, Postcard, Quake, Run From Me, Stonehands, Notice Me, Afterparty, Reflection, I Tore You Apart in My Head

  • Hearing Aide: Lotus ’86 Revolutions’

    From start to finish, it took Lotus 86 days to execute their latest tour that saw sold-out crowds across the United States. To mark the conclusion of a successful run, budding fan base and adding another notch on the touring belt, the post-rock electronic jam band decided to share a live compilation album fresh off the heels of their recent journey. Titled 86 Revolutions, the 14-track release brings listeners through live takes of tracks pulled from the five-piece’s Eat the Light and Build, as well as dug up songs from Lotus’ developing stages as a group.

    “We had a new soundboard for this tour, and the multi-track sources sounded great,” said bassist Jesse Miller, who selected each track and mixed the album. “We release all of our shows, but this was an opportunity for me to spend extra time mixing to expose all the layers that build the Lotus sound.” Group improvisation is the name of Lotus’ game and Miller plays a solid hand in highlighting that through the albums construction.

    We’re welcomed into 86 Revolutions by percussion on “Debris” as Disc One introduces listeners to six tracks of high-energy jamtronica. The entire album can be found via Bandcamp, where more information is listed on track performance date, artist collaborations and more. Proven to be a solid inaugural track with tantalizing guitar, “Debris” is sure to get you grooving by the time Eat the Light track, “Anti-Gravity” ft. electric soul artist Oriel Poole, kicks in. Performed in Ohio, Poole’s soft vocals and lyrics of “You’re my anti-gravity, hold me so I don’t float away,” pair nicely with the spacey jams that help keep the dance mentality alive. At 7:30, the track’s sound takes a turn as it relies heavily on drums and keys until an ultimate fade out transitions into Nomad’s “Livingston Storm” from the very same gig. Loud cheers from the fans can be heard just before the five minute mark until tempo begins to pick up, slow down and do it all over again before closing out the track.

    “Sleep When We are Dead” comes as the first vocal-heavy choice, executed by the band members themselves with breathy vocals, a catchy “Surf Rock” chorus and clean guitar with warbling effects. Lyrics describe grabbing life by the horns, living in the now and of course an allusion to the age old saying “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.” Highlights from the first half of the release come in “Expired Slang,” which hails from the instrumental-heavy group’s outrageous performance at the 930 Club in Washington, DC. Hearing the track that’s never been included on a studio album through the buds of earphones and computer speakers does, in fact, do the song justice–which only makes one wonder how impeccable it sounded in person. The recorded take relinquishes zippy synth/keys and heavy electro-funk to end on a powerful note. Disc one’s closing track treats fans to another round of pleasing vocal harmonies and percussion breakdowns with lyric-heavy Eat the Light’s “When Our Nerves No Longer Twitch.”

    The second disc leads with a “Slow Cookin” sandwich, pieced between funky “Neon Tubes” Part 1 and 2 on each end. Recorded during their Aspen, CO gig, Greensfield begins to explore unique time signatures at about a minute and a half into the track. “Slow Cookin’” keeps things rolling with cymbal crashes, drum solos and percussion teases as the sampler and synthy vocals get ample attention. “Neon Tubes” rolls back around, transitioning in with whirling sound effects on the dance heavy song. Guitar harmonies and mastery on “The Opus” instantly draw attention inward for the track that was recently performed for the first time ever at the famed Port Chester Capitol Theatre.

    Quite possibly the cleanest sounding tune from the compilation, “The Opus” is another first-time studio album cut. “Rà-Àkõ-St,” originally by Lindstrøm’ and the first cover included on 86 Revolutions, outwardly appeals to the more electronic side of Lotus. The track is played in a triumphant key, as its improvisational volume and speed bounce from high to low and slow to fast. “Blacklight Sunflare” follows, with exploration of diverse sounds and elements, giving a more progressive rock feel to the album. The second and final cover comes as an ode to Talking Heads with a 9-minute “Moon Rocks,” originally off of 1983’s Speaking in Tongues, complete with David Byrne-esque voice inflection and new wave tendencies.

    86 Revolutions wraps up with an 11-minute “Umbilical Moonrise” off of 2003’s Germination, sure to send long-time fans into an extreme state of bliss. Appropriately placed as the ultimate tour closer, the track was the first to ever be penned by Lotus, giving a “full circle” feel to their start as musicians and conclusion of a triumphant tour. It’s fitting for a calm and reflective song, giving listeners time to unwind and reflect on the 86 day journey Lotus embarked on and condensed into 14, carefully selected tracks.

    Key Tracks: Anti Gravity, The Opus, Blacklight Sunflare

    Disc One

    1. Debris  8:39  
    2. Anti-Gravity feat. Oriel Poole >  10:22
    3. Livingston Storm  13:26
    4. Sleep When We Are Dead  6:12
    5. Expired Slang  10:56
    6. When Our Nerves No Longer Twitch  6:10

    Disc Two

    1. Neon Tubes Part I >  6:26
    2. Slow Cookin’ >  7:47
    3. Neon Tubes Part II  4:19
    4. The Opus  9:17
    5. Rà-Àkõ-St  7:20
    6. Blacklight Sunflare  7:52
    7. Moon Rocks  9:01
    8. Umbilical Moonrise  11:40

  • Hearing Aide: Matthew O’Neill’s ‘Trophic Cascade’

    Underwater Panther Coalition, an emerging record label with a mission to take care of our Earth, recently released Matthew O’Neill’s LP Trophic Cascade on May 5. This debut LP features O’Neill’s single “Louisiana” released in March earlier this year in support of Earth Guardians.

    Currently living in Upstate New York, O’Neill was raised in Pennsylvania and spent much of his time immersed in the Eastern Woodlands. O’Neill’s musical inspiration and style is drawn directly from his relationship between modern life and his exposure to the indigenous lifestyle. Half of all profits from the record sales are to be donated to frontline earth protection groups and more specifically to conserving indigenous rights.

    O’Neill’s perspective of the world is drawn from varied experiences that can be heard throughout his LP as he channels these contrasting lifestyles into music. Trophic Cascade is composed of fourteen tracks that experiment with sounds from a broad range of music genres. Styles such as psychedelia are prevalent during “1000 years” and the mountain styled music peaks through on songs like “Golden Boy” and “Relaunching.”

    Other songs on Trophic Cascade include elements of Americana, rock, folk and soul. “There You Go Again” features a horn section while “Break Stride” embodies a toe-tapping and fun upbeat rhythm. Each of these fourteen tracks embodies another emotional message and strives to build the bridge between activism and action.

    Whether or not you are an avid tree hugger is not integral to be a fan of O’Neill’s music. The sincerity within his music shines through as it goes hand-in-hand with his message of appreciating and protecting our world’s natural beauty.

    Key Tracks: Louisiana, Ain’t No Way, Relaunching

  • NYS Music Launches 87/90

    Every band was a local band once. Today, we launch NYS Music 87/90, reflecting the highways artists travel upon to reach markets across The Empire State. 87/90 brings together 8 New York State born and raised bands that have strong potential to make it big. We will bring news and coverage of these bands to you on a regular basis, highlighting what we see as the next wave of bands to come out of New York State. These are just the first wave of bands that we will be bringing to your attention – there are plenty more artists in every corner of the state from all genres. As we discover them, we’ll bring them to you and beyond.

    nys music 87/90The 8 artists we launch with include: Space Carnival, Cousin Earth, Formula 5, Folkfaces, Boogie Low, Intrepid Travelers, Let’s Be Leonard and Gowanus. These artists were selected for potential, work ethic and appeal to a wider audience. They include jam bands, bluegrass/folk, psychedelic rock, electronic and a mix of everything. We will expand in the future with bands that we see strong potential in – this is a select group we launch with and we will keep it reserved only for bands that pass muster.

    The bands we are reaching out to as founding artists are bands that we have highlighted on our pages in recent years, see a strong future in and have shown that they are committed to making a name for themselves well outside of New York State. This is not an open invite – the initial roster includes only bands that are on the rise and have developed a following through their music.

    Every band was once local.

  • Photo Gallery: Sunsquabi Rolls Through Boston

    Late Night Radio and Maddy O’Neal opened a long night of music at Wonder Bar in Allston, MA on Sunday, April 30 for Sunsquabi. Saxophone extraordinaire, Tommy Weeks (Sophistafunk, Funky Dawgs) came up and belted out a few rounds during Maddy O’Neal, and even impressed Sunsquabi enough that he was asked to come back up for a tasty jam with them towards the end of the night. The Squab-Train drove straight through til the wee hours of the morning, delivering that funky Colorado sound we’ve been waiting so long for.

  • Back in the New York Groove: Three Nights of The Disco Biscuits at The Capitol Theatre

    Philly jamtronica legends The Disco Biscuits took their act to The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York for three nights of pulsating grooves that were accentuated by a breathtaking light show. This run featured some intensive freeform jams, the band’s customary creative song structuring and even a sit in from an old friend.

    disco biscuits new yorkThursday, April 27

    Thursday night’s festivities kicked off with a fairly straightforward run through of “Story of the World” that quickly picked up steam and soon transitioned seamlessly into a “Shem-Rah Boo” that was left unfinished. Instead, the jam took a dark, techno-y turn into “Gangster,” replete with vocoder sounds supplied by keyboardist Aron Magner, before steering back to the conclusion of “Story of the World.”  A somewhat rare standalone “Strobelights and Martinis” followed and the uptempo instrumental number featured an incredible array of laser lights strewn throughout the theater, a constant theme throughout the entire run. “On Time,” a song from the band’s 2010 release Planet Anthem, brought a most enjoyable first set to a close.

    Stellar musical improv and long, deep jams were the story of the second set, highlighted by a spellbinding “7-11” opener that was stretched out to max capacity. In the midst of one of the slower portions of the jam, a figure emerged from the side of the stage. None other than Matisyahu, who has sat in with the band on two other occasions, soon began displaying his freestyle prowess as The Disco Biscuits temporarily went from headliner to support act, laying down grooves and giving the well known Jewish rapper a musical template from which to work, so to speak. After leaving the stage, the Biscuits then reverted back to the headliners they are and dropped a monster “Floes” that served as one of the true musical peaks all weekend. Yet another silky smooth transition followed with the delivery of “Pilin’ It High” before an impeccable “House Dog Party Favor” brought a rousing and magical set of music to a close. With little time for an encore, “Kitchen Mitts” was the play and one of the rare “sing along” songs the Biscuits feature regularly had everyone doing just that.  One incredible night of music was now in the books with two more chapters to follow.

    disco biscuits new yorkSet 1: Story Of The World> Shem-Rah Boo^> Gangster> Story Of The World, Strobelights and Martinis, On Time
    Set 2: 7-111> Jam*> Floes^> Pilin’ It High, House Dog Party Favor
    Encore: Kitchen Mitts
    ^unfinished
    *with Matisyahu

    Friday, April 28

    Building off the energy from Thursday, the line to get inside stretched around the block leading to a packed house with an aire of excitement weaving its way through the crowd. Fans were treated to a laugh when Marc Brownstein stepped to the mic before the band jammed into “Air Song,” making a joking reference to Ja Rule’s Fyre Fest which was in disarray in The Bahamas. “The Champions,” which emerged from “Air Song,” is staking itself out to be one of the best new songs written by the Biscuits in some time. “Spacebirdmatingcall” slowly crept from “The Champions” and was driven into high gear by Brownstein, leading to the culmination of Thursday’s “Shem-Rah Boo” and took a quick turn into a raging “Down to the Bottom,” which led to an eruption of joy from the crowd, and into the ending of “Spacebirdmatingcall” to cap the set.

    disco biscuits new yorkA palindrome of 5 songs covered most of the second set, sandwiching inverted middle sections of “Jigsaw Earth” and “Pimp Blue Rikkis” inside “Save The Robots” for a high energy/no let up hour with some “Basis for a Day” teases mixed in. “Highwire” found the crowd tapping into reserves of energy that was needed as they wrapped up “Down to the Bottom” and threw in a “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” encore for good measure. Night 2 had a lot of heat and boded well for the finale of the run to come on Saturday

    Set 1: Jam> Air Song*> The Champions> Spacebirdmatingcall> Shem-Rah Boo^> Down To The Bottom> Spacebirdmatingcall
    Set 2: Save The Robots> Jigsaw Earth&#> Pimp Blue Rikkis> Jigsaw Earth&> Save The Robots, Highwire*> Down To The Bottom
    Encore: M.E.M.P.H.I.S.
    * unfinished
    ^ ending only/completes 4/27
    & inverted version
    # middle

    That segue back into SpacebirdMatingcall… pure ?? #discobiscuits #lasers

    A post shared by NYS Music (@nystatemusic) on

    Saturday, April 29

    Piggy-backing off 2 unforgettable nights in Port Chester, Saturday night was the sensational ending to the Disco Biscuits at the Cap trilogy. The four took to the stage with Barber ready to jam, dressed head to toe in a red jumpsuit and shades. In no time, set one launched and opened with “Papercut,” a popular choice as of late; having been played 25 times total since 2007, the Brownie track segued into the first Uncivilized Era track of the night, “Aceetobee,” inciting a multi-story fan sing-along. Flawless transitions between songs and into “Tempest” kept the night moving seamlessly and even found fans trapped in banter, unable to guess which tracks would come up next before coming full circle to “Aceetobee.” With only a brief pause after the three song execution, “Confrontation” hit the crowd hard. Having been just recently played during February’s Philly run and acting as a popular choice since 2010, “Confrontation” may be slowly dwindling but still manages to sneak its way into consistent and relevant setlists. “Rock Candy” came next as the fluff between the “Confrontation” sandwich and capping off set one with a 3 minute standing ovation as the PA natives looked up at the crowd and soaked it all in.

    disco biscuits new yorkAlthough night three appealed to a ravier side of the Biscuits, the setlist was crafted down to a science, treating fans to an equal split of classic jams and electronic tuneage. Keeping the party raging, a captivating “I-Man” opened up set two while leading into “Munchkin Invasion,” or so it seemed. After a decent amount of playtime, everyone on foot at the Cap was duped with a hard fake out, leaving Munchkin unfinished and instead taking on an electric “Cyclone” with abstract and mind-bending visuals climbing up the Capitol Theatre walls and across the dome ceiling to match. “Little Betty Boop” came to fans in an astray, inverted package and while the transition guessing game continued, “Loose Change” followed. While it seemed many weren’t familiarized with the bust-out On Time EP track, it was played so flawlessly that it certainly made an indelible mark for those hearing it for the first time. “Munchkin Invasion” was revisited as senses were heightened waiting for the resolution that never came. Faked out yet again, “Loose Change” also came with “Svengali” teases. Revisiting “I-man” as bookend tracks for set two, both halves added up to nearly a half hour of full on crowd engagement and an “And the Ladies Were the Rest of the Night” tease as “I-Man out on the loose!” rang throughout the famed Port Chester venue.

    Before capping off the three night run, the quartet came back on stage for a massive “Digital Buddha” encore, complete with Magner’s hands flying across the keys, technicolor lights and a projected image of buddha sitting on the regal venue walls. The pins for “Digital Buddha” may sell for a pretty penny but witnessing the encore full force was priceless.

    Set 1: Papercut-> Aceetobee-> Tempest-> Aceetobee, Confrontation-> Rock Candy-> Confrontation
    Set 2: I-Man*-> Cyclone-> Little Betty Boop*^-> Loose Change**-> I-Man***
    Encore: Digital Buddha

    *W/ Munchkin Invasion Fakeout
    ^ inverted
    ** w/ Munchkin invasion Fakeout and Svengali teases
    *** w/ and the ladies were the rest of the night tease

  • Buffalo EDM Artist, Grabbitz Releases Video From Upcoming Album

    Buffalo singer, songwriter and producer Grabbitz, has released his music video for the single “Don’t Let Me Go,” which is off the artist’s debut album, Things Change, due May 19 on Grabbitz’s own record label, West Blood Records. The label is named after the street Grabbitz grew up on in Buffalo. Things Change is available for pre order.

    buffalo grabbitzGrabbitz has made a name for himself in his young EDM career. His remix of the Deadmau5 track “Silent Picture,” eventually led to the pair collaborating on the Deadmau5’s hit single, “Let Go,” where you can hear Grabbitz on vocals. The single peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic charts, and has over 10 million views on YouTube.

    He entered the television entertainment industry, when he was called upon to provide compositions for the T.V show CSI: Cyber. His debut EP Friends, was a top 10 dance album on iTunes. His track “Here With You Now,” has over 4 million views on YouTube, and topped the Beatport Dubstep charts in 2014. Grabbitz’s follow up, Better With Time, climbed to #4 on the iTunes Dance chart. His Spotify song catalog currently has over 20 million streams combined.

    Born Nick Chiari, look for Grabbitz to show his stuff off as a live performer, as he plans to perform live shows this summer.

    Things Change Track Listing:
    1. Follow Me
    2. Don’t Let Me Go
    3. I Think That I Might Be Going Crazy
    4. Play This Game
    5. Break Me Down
    6. Pretty Little Melody
    7. Love Like That (Let You Down)
    8. Hold Steady (Better Days)
    9. Things Change
    10. I Shouldn’t Have
    11. A Tragic Interlude
    12. What I’m Going Thru

  • Legendary DJ to Perform On Top Of Mt Everest

    EDM Sauce reports that legendary electronic dance music DJ and producer Paul Oakenfold will add another first to his list of places that no other EDM artist, or any artist for that matter, has ever performed. Oakenfold’s next stop, on April 11, will see the British-born DJ take the long and dangerous 17,000 foot hike up Mt. Everest and perform at the highest party in the world at the mountain’s Base Camp to celebrate the 3o year anniversary of the Second Summer of Love, which was the name given to the period in the late 80’s when acid house music and rave parties were on the rise.

    When it comes to performing in unique places, Oakenfold is no stranger. Oakenfold has been the first EDM artist to ever perform at the Great Wall of China, The Hollywood Bowl, Coachella’s main stage and Madison Square Garden.

    The venture will be part of Oakenfold’s “Generations World Tour,” which will cover six continents with new visuals, music and extended sets, playing tracks from a career that has lasted over three decades. Oakenfold will perform on two turntables and two Denon SC5000’s. For fans who can’t make the trip and climb the mountain, don’t worry, Oakenfold will live stream the Mt. Everest event through EXTREME.

    Oakenfold was voted DJ Magazine’s #1 Dj in 1998 and 1999. He has produced over 100 remixes for over 100 artists throughout his career including Madonna, Britney Spears, U2, Elvis Presley, Hans Zimmer, Dirty Vegas, P.O.D., Justin Timberlake, The Cure, Natasha Bedingfield, Moby, Massive Attack, The Rolling Stones, Crystal Method, Jennifer Lopez and The Doors. Oakenfold founded the EDM record label Perfecto, in 1989, which is still going strong.

  • The Radio Dept. Performs at Brighton Music Hall

    The Radio Dept. kicked things off in Boston on Tuesday, March 7, playing to a packed crowd at Brighton Music Hall. The indie dream-pop group from Sweden consists of Johan Duncanson who started making music with Martin Larsson in the late 90s and scored some impressive reviews from NME upon their first album release, Lesser Matters in 2003. For this tour they were backing their newest 2016 album, Running Out of Love, which is their fourth studio album and is a great representation of how The Radio Dept. is able to consistently bust out music within the realms of their niche style they began to perfect back in the early 2000s.

    RadioDept1

    “Swedish Guns” is a clear favorite off their newest record and in the live format the group was able to put on a show with the song in a manner complete with necessary energy yet with the laid back, shoe-gaze nature of The Radio Dept. Actually what makes The Radio Dept. so enticing as a live band and a band on record is their ability to incorporate from so many genres. This is where the keyboards shine as an entirely vital aspect of their somewhat playful sound. Another favorite off their new album has to be “Committed To The Cause,” which has a groove similar to something Thievery Corporation might come out with, matched with a 90s style bass line along the likes of “Cannonball,” by The Breeders. What really makes the song come together is the synth line halfway through – a definite crowd favorite of the night. The chemistry between Duncanson and Larsson is clear on stage as two friends who have been playing together for quite some time are consistently feeding off each other to push and maintain their musical bounds. Sometimes reeling in comparisons to the likes of Pet Shop Boys, The Radio Dept. is a perfect modern, indie, more down tempo version of the 80s legends.

    RadioDept2

    With a duo opener straight from Brooklyn, GERMANS eased the early birds into the night with vocals and bass performing on top of song samples. Their hit song “Cruel” has everything a modern Brooklyn indie band reminiscent of the 80s could ask for.

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  • Hearing Aide: Lord Electro ‘Business’

    The Albany based trio Lord Electro has made an epic sound for such a humble group, their debut album Business is highly synthetic, immersive and overall impressive. This is the first full length album for the group and they’ve done a immaculate job. The production quality is top notch, their performance is tight and it will leave listeners with a few pleasant ear-worms. They’re playing all over the tri-state area, mainly focused in New York, as well as an album release show on Friday, March 10 at The Hollow in Albany, NY.

    They’ve played with big names like The New Deal, Soule Monde (Ft. members of TAB), Roots of Creation, Conehead Buddha and have been influenced by groups like The Disco Biscuits, Lotus, Phish, NERVE and STS9. They haven’t reinvented the livetronic style, but they have created a great album to add to the library of livetronica lovers. The group consists of Dan Gerken on Synth, Steve Mink on bass and synth and Jordan LeFluer drums.

    The title track “Business” is first up and it’s a little generic to start, but as the saying goes, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It builds nicely through a variety of unique tones from Gerken and is very spacious and trance-like with mild peaks and drops. The direction isn’t very surprising but it will definitely get people moving in a live setting. Vocal hooks will have listeners humming the tune for days making this a key track. Again, it’s easy to forget that only three men are creating this music, through the help of loops and drum tracks of course, but it is still impressive nonetheless.

    “Spiral” is truly encapsulating, partly because of the instrumental track, but also because of the thought that went into the vocals. Again, Gerken’s voice is sultry and spot on, harmonized at some points and thoroughly impressive. That voice laid over a never-stopping beat is a really nice touch considering it’s an overlooked aspect of livetronica.

    “The Slumber” is another track that incorporates that fantastic voice from Gerken. That, on top of a darker take on a trance tone makes for an excellent song. The verses aren’t the most incredible pieces of music ever created, but the chorus is astounding. The lyrics, “Too much, too fast” will be ringing out in the heads of listeners as well as this washy, never ending riff that leaves listeners feeling trapped in a whirlpool of sound.

    Towards the end, “Reflections” comes in a little slow to start, but pulls through in the end in the best possible way. LeFluer stays consistent the whole way through, Mink lays down a fantastic, highly addictive, but slightly repetitive groove and Greken digresses from a peppy and tight synth run to an intense, falling lick that gives a nice contrast of light and dark tones.

    Overall, this album won’t revolutionize the livetronica genre, but it is well thought out, well produced and will be an absolute blast to see performed live. Lord Electro perform later this month at Dino BBQ in Troy NY, March 24, The Monopole in Plattsburgh NY March 25 and several other New York based shows mid March through late April. Tour dates are on their Facebook page as well as hard copies of their CD for purchase and digital downloads available on iTunes.

    Key Tracks: Business, The Slumber, Reflections