Math-rock trio Peaer has announced their return to music after five years with the release of single “Just Because.”
NYC-based math rock trio Peaer return with their new single, “Just Because.” It’s their first new offering since 2019’s A Healthy Earth, which earned raves from fans and media alike. A drop-tuned, four-on-the-floor thumper that crescendos with a moment of headbanging catharsis, the track is a perfect blend of Wish-era The Cure’s glittery rhythms and the melancholic post-rock emo of American Football.
The band will also be making its live return with their first show in nearly a year this Saturday, November 16, in Brooklyn at Baby’s All Right alongside Pet Fox. “Just Because” is the fruit of their focus — a soaring introduction to Peaer’s new era and a tantalizing promise of what else lies ahead.
Peaer began in earnest in 2014, when Katz sought to blend his love of windy math rock with contemplative slowcore. From this sprang 2014’s lo-fi, home-recorded album the eyes sink into the skull, released digitally via Bandcamp with Katz taking on all of the instrumentation himself. From there the idea of Peaer evolved, and while touring on 2016’s self-titled LP (Peaer), Katz joined forces with now long-term close-collaborators Jeremy Kinney (drums, engineering) and Thom Lombardi (bass, vocals).
The trio came together to write and produce 2019’s aforementioned, critically acclaimed A Healthy Earth, which they quickly followed up with The Hands and Feet Turn Blue (2019) — an Eyes companion album featuring reworked songs, demos, and remixes.
For more information on Peaer and to hear their new single “Just Because” click here.
Elephant Gym and Mei Semones have teamed up for a jazzy, math-rocky tour across the Northeast, and it’s outrageously good. Mei Semones and her four-piece band came out casually onto the stage at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, September 26th. Mei wearing her signature hair charm, a hoodie with the strings tied into a bow, her green artist’s badge stuck to the leg of her cargo pants, and some Nike AF1s.
Mei’s soft vocals poured through the venue’s many halls and staircases as the crowd filed in, excitement building as she and her ensemble flitted through indie-infused math rock tracks. Semones’ music combines the youthful vocals, twangy guitar, and intricate, punchy drumming of Japanese math rock with her bandmates’ masterful violin, viola, and standup bass backing.
Noam Tanzer, in particular, was impressive, switching between standup bass, bass guitar, and electric guitar throughout the show. Semones is a masterful guitarist, both electric and acoustic, and her unique playing style is easily the most recognizable aspect of her sound. But the full effect of the lyricism and her live ensemble is indescribable. It truly represents every side of Semones in 3-5 minute chunks, something wholly hers that can’t be replicated or compared.
Tell, Elephant Gym’s guitarist came out early to put down his setlist, and when people at the front tried to sneak a peak, he hid it behind his bag, telling them it was a surprise. Itâs always humorous when artists saunter onto stage well before their set time, and the audience suspends their disbelief long enough to cheer for them to set up and then cheer when they come out a second time. Soon after, KT, the band’s lead singer and bassist, and Chia-Chin, their drummer, came on stage and Elephant Gym was complete.
After the first song, KT jokingly pointed out that the band’s 10th-anniversary tour also meant that most of their early fans were likely entering their 30s alongside the band. She also lamented about being single and suggested that young single concertgoers look around the room for someone with good music taste to date.
Elephant Gym talked a bit about their Taiwanese identity and the unique circumstances of Taiwan’s place in the world. They pointed out Taiwan’s position between China and Japan, their belief in democracy, and the mandatory military service that both Tell and Chia-Chin served.
Japanese Math Rock has clearly influenced Elephant Gym, but making too many comparisons would take away from their music’s intense talent and individuality. In a genre so influenced by jazz, every little electric impulse becomes both melody and a representation of who you are. Typical math rock is very guitar-forward, but KT drives the band, literally and figuratively, letting the base take center stage. This is who Elephant Gym is, and they are wonderful.
Elephant Gym also poked fun at the cliche of constant merch callouts by bands. They brought up merch every few songs, with some subtle segues and some hilarious nonsequiturs poking fun at the mutual understanding of how vital merch sales are to bands and how there’s no shameless way of asking people to buy stuff from you. KT announced they were going to play a new song, but were nervous, saying, âSo if I fuckup some notes ⦠buy some merchandise!â Part of what made this bit so endearing was their candidness about being their own financial advisors, social media managers, and merch designers. The band members divide responsibility like assigning instruments. Like most artists in the modern era, they have to be masters of all to survive.
Elephant Gym boasted an unreal repertoire, playing an hour and a half of intricate math rock. The memorization required for such a feat is incredible. For their song “Moonset,” which is written in Japanese despite the band not being fluent, Elephant Gym brought Mei Semones back out to sing. The song combined Mei’s sweet, bouncy vocals with more bass-driven funk, forming a perfect jam for the concert’s end.
