Latest Posts

Darksleep – Obviate

June 1, 2015

The imaginative soundscapes of Buffalo producer Darksleep have been among the most otherworldly to emerge from the local underground electronic scene over the past year. With the release of his debut album, 電効営み, the artist caught our attention with a vivid, experimental style reminiscent of avant-garde synth virtuoso Oneohtrix Point Never and Venezuelan producer/Bjork collaborator Arca. This sound-art approach to making tracks is conveyed clearly from a glance at the abstract artwork for the latest release from the enigmatic producer, Obviate.  From the onset of the album’s lead track, “Precursor,” with it’s glitchy vocals and washes of digital chaos, Darksleep creates an unsettling, yet mesmerizing atmosphere complete with playful arpeggiating synth tones and eerie droning textures. As a listener, the effect can be imagined as being transported into alternate universe where what follows is an eloquent glimpse at a wildly conceptual world of sonic visions. On “Spectre,” another unearthly loop begins the[...]

Tonight: Aaron Dilloway

May 27, 2015

Michigan-born experimental artist Aaron Dilloway is best known as a former core member of Detroit industrial noise band Wolf Eyes, whose prolific, DIY-style stream of releases has amassed over one hundred recordings since 1996. Band members John Olson, Nate Young, and Dilloway each have been responsible for a handful of side-projects and recording aliases which have acted as a natural sonic extension of their ambitious, murky aesthetic. On his acclaimed 2012 LP Modern Jester, Dilloway presented a comprehensive look at the artist’s avant-garde explorations that helped define the American noise scene. Despite the challenging nature of this abrasive style, the resulting effect of the artist’s chaotic soundscapes comes off as atmospheric and at times manages to achieve a serene quality amidst this highly-textured sound. Tonight, Aaron Dilloway will be performing at Buffalo’s Squeaky Wheel Film and Media Arts Center along with an opening set from Mistake by the Lake Tapes[...]

Space Cubs – The Fire And Things Forgotten

May 10, 2015

The Fire And Things Forgotten, the celestial debut full-length from Buffalo born electronic musician Suzanne Bonifacio (who records as Space Cubs), is the result of what the artist refers to as a “journey of creative reflection and change” that included a move to Chicago before settling in Charlotte, North Carolina. Drawing comparisons to experimental pop artists like Bjork, Grimes, and Jessy Lanza, Bonifacio’s strength as a songwriter lies in her ability to forge melodic, blissful sounds from underneath an uneasy, murky veil of reverb and restless percussion. Mostly recorded during a period where the artist found herself living in the middle of Pisgah National Forest, the album successfully conjures the remote, ruminative circumstances of its creation, as is apparent from the atmospheric opening cut, “Back Lies,” with its siren-like vocals and inviting melodic elements. The following track and lead single, “The Eye,” is perhaps the strongest display of Bonifacio’s classically trained vocal[...]

Tonight: Cantenac Dagar

April 19, 2015

French Polynesian experimental duo, Cantenac Dagar, create challenging instrumental music using banjo’s, cassette player’s, and human beatbox to achieve an often abrasive, drone-oriented sound. The pair’s latest release, a nearly thirty minute, one-track effort titled BUREC, develops slowly to reveal a raw, abrasive style with built around primal percussion. Tonight, the two will be performing at Mohawk Place where Cantenac Dagar will also play a set as the duo’s acoustic alter-ego, Fort Crèvecœur, which incorporates more traditional instrumentation with the same avant-garde inclinations as Cantenac Dagar. Also performing tonight are Buffalo experimental folk musician Lara Buckley, whose sparse acoustic arrangements combined with an other-worldly vocal delivery makes for a meditative take on the genre as well as local duo Double Memory. Show starts at 8pm. Admission is $5.

Mario Bee and Mike Gerbino Announce Point of No Concern EP

April 14, 2015

Two former Rochester-based artists, DJ Mario Bee and rapper Mike Gerbino, are set to release their debut collaborative EP, Point of No Concern on April 20th. Featuring an assortment of hip-hop, electronic, and grime beats, the five-track record abrasively touches on subjects like the middle-east, prostitution, global warming, and Facebook. Well known for his work on HBO’s Brave New Voices poetry special, Gerbino is an accomplished spoken work artist in addition to his hip hop endeavors, while Mario Bee began his career DJing and producing in both Rochester and Buffalo before moving to New York City where he now gigs frequently throughout the city and the East Coast. The pair are also having a release party for the EP this Saturday at Leftfield Bar in New York if you find yourself in the area Check out the project’s first single, “Eliot Spizter,” below.

Fort Romeau – Insides

April 8, 2015

Since the release of his 2012 debut album Kingdoms, London producer Fort Romeau has continued to develop a highly textured, slow-burning house sound that lends itself to both economical dance cuts as well as airy, warm introspective tracks. After putting out a series of EP’s for Ghostly International that saw the artist explore sounds outside of the house realm like ambient, italo disco and Kraftwerk-style synth pop, his latest full-length Insides furthers this sonic shift into darker, more direct territory. With typically lush synth work and crisp percussion once again present, it’s the producer’s restraint of the use of vocal samples that draws more attention to the rich instrumentation and experimental sounds like on the sprawling title track whose minimal arrangement creates space for each element to be individually appreciated while maintaining an engaging song structure. Coming from an artist who released a statement about the importance of “slow listening,” there isn’t[...]

Breach, The Beloved Releases Debut Album

April 2, 2015

Buffalo-based instrumental hip-hop and experimental electronic producer, Romello, recently revealed a new side-project under the name Breach, The Beloved, which features a more lyrical, rock-oriented sound from the young artist. So Far From Parkside begins with a hazy instrumental referencing Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory and leads into a collection of twelve tracks with gritty percussion and distorted guitars with a lo-fi psychedelic feel reminiscent of artists like Thundercat, Tame Impala, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Standout tracks from the album include “Desert Dream” with its introspective vibe, reverb-laden guitars, and rubbery bassline along with “Blue Keys,” whose smooth melody and understated vocal delivery offers a mellow, jazzy sound which is an interesting drop in energy towards the end of the release. “Alternative Dreams” shows off the producers instrumental range and songwriting ability with a memorable chorus soulful guitar solo on a record that ultimately provides a glimpse of an intriguing new[...]

Tobias Jesso Jr. – Goon

March 25, 2015

The narrative of heartbreak and desperation that runs through the debut album of Canadian artist Tobias Jesso Jr. has been countlessly explored by numerous singer-songwriter types who strive to craft a universal sentiment from their internal struggles. It’s worth mentioning that the series of events leading to the period where Jesso Jr. wrote these songs included a heavy breakup, being hit by a car on his bike, and learning his mother had cancer before returning to his childhood home. The compelling sounds found on Goon are nothing ground-breaking, as the instrumentation includes piano, drums, with the occasional strings and a few guitar-led tracks, yet their earnest nature coupled with the singer’s wary delivery make for a refreshing listen. Obvious comparisons to classic songwriters like John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Randy Newman, and Harry Nillson have been made and their influence can easily be heard on the album’s opener “Can’t Stop Thinking[...]

Tonight: Mt. Eden

March 21, 2015

Named after their suburban Auckland hometown, New Zealand production duo Mt. Eden have been making music together since their early teens, first dabbling in hip hop before being turned on to dubstep after hearing UK producers Skream and Benga at a festival. In 2009, the pair started to make waves in the international electronic music scene when a fan posted “Sierra Leone,” their remix of Freshlyground’s “I’d Like” to Youtube and the track quickly amassed millions of views. This rise in profile led to a deal with New York label Ultra Music in 2013 which released their Walkingonair EP later that year, a seven track release that established Mt. Eden’s ability to craft tracks that can be both abrasive and melodic with a bittersweet sentiment.  Tonight, the duo will perform at Buffalo’s Waiting Room in anticipation of their spring album release and subsequent summer festival touring. Having developed their live show over the[...]

Transfer in Jamaica Releases Speculative Dance Party Vol. 2

March 10, 2015

Known for eclectic, scatter-brained mixes and mashups, Buffalo artist, Transfer in Jamaica, brings together disparate tracks, shifting tempos and vocal pitches as well as placing club music side by side with more introspective genres like post-rock and ambient. The latest release from the artist, titled Speculative Dance Party Vol. 2: Too Drunk, continues this trend as an afro-beat intro leads to a track from Bow Wow and Ciara, creating an interesting juxtaposition to say the least, along with the sample of American composer Philip Glass which lays atop Flo Rida and T.Pain’s “Low.” The mix is separated into six parts each containing r&b and hip hop hits as well as more underground electronic productions from Caribou, Nicolas Jaar, Pantha Du Prince, and Burial. Transfer in Jamaica opens up a world of warped pop culture as a glitched-out track from pop singer Britney Spears begins one of the mix’s, blending hazily into[...]

Chauncey Tails Releases New Beat Collection

February 25, 2015

Gowanda producer Chauncey Tails has become known for his typically brief tracks that feature pitch-shifted vocals and hip hop samples alongside whimsical, lush sounds that create a smooth feel that often ranges from melancholy and introspective to soulful, club-inspired beats. The artist’s latest release, Collection IV, compiles nine tracks made over the last year and provides a comprehensive look at the sound he’s been able to cultivate in that time, with engaging vocal chops, recognizable samples, and visceral percussion and bass. Leading off with, “Only You,” a bouncing, bass-heavy cut, the collection opens with high-energy, ethereal beats before leading into the more melancholy progression on the aptly titled “I Feel Like Nothing But You Are Everything.” “Squirt” features uplifting piano stabs and various warm sounds reminiscent of Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth’s tracks.Perhaps the most impressive drums and bass sounds are found on “Young Drop Top Lexus” that places a fiery hip hop[...]

Tonight: Wild Gone Girls

February 19, 2015

Under the name Wild Gone Girls, Rochester audio/visual artists Martin Freeman and Cameron Farash have been performing shows presenting a kind of feedback loop between media where their electronic, often homemade sounds control the visuals being shown and vice versa. Described as an audio/visual dreamscape that morphs into an all sensory attack, the pair’s sets sit comfortably amidst this chaos, creating an atmosphere conducive to improvisation and spontaneity. Tonight, Wild Gone Girls will bring their idiosyncratic performance to Hallwalls Arts Center for a show with fellow Rochester experimentalists Pengo, a four-piece noise band who’ve drawn comparisons to Sun Ra, Throbbing Gristle, Suicide, and NNCK. Featuring synthesizers, drums, saxophone, guitar, and vocals, Pengo combine disparate styles of fringe genres to make for a consistently evolving sound that is rooted in the avant-garde ideal. Tickets for tonight’s show are $8 general admission, $6 students/seniors, $5 members. Show starts at 8pm. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/157079481″[...]

Passion In Constellation Releases Forfeit The Genre EP

February 9, 2015

Buffalo electronic artist Chris Alan creates genre spanning electronic music as Passion In Constellation, bridging the gap between hip hop, trap, electronica, and dubstep with a highly polished production style that effectively accent the physical nature of his tracks. His latest effort, a three track EP titled Forfeit The Genre, features “Dat Purple Penguin” along with two remixes of previously released songs. “Dat Purple Penguin” begins with a slow pace, mixing atmospheric sounds with pitch shifting vocals before taking a more aggressive turn, set off by a dramatic build and drop. The result is a track that takes many changes in direction, and is best characterized by it’s ability to reach these varied sonic destinations smoothly through careful rises in energy that while drastically alter the mood, do so in an engaging manner. The EP can be purchased on the artist’s Bandcamp page or on iTunes. Watch the video for “Dat[...]

Kristachuwan Releases Seeing Eyes (will not be) EP

February 3, 2015

Electronic producer and former Cinnamon Aluminum multi-instrumentalist, Kristachuwan, is known for his dense arrangements, often combining abrasive sounds with melodic, lush samples to make for an experimental take on electronica, house, and ambient music. Prior to relocating to New Mexico late last month, the artist released his latest EP, Seeing Eyes (will not be), which furthers his style of layering organic sounds in an abstract manner and is yet another unique collection of tracks that share a refreshing sense of playfulness. The album’s title track blends warm, inviting vocal melodies with a stark bass line and gritty, off-kilter percussion, while tracks like “Romanky,” “Bourgeois Harem,” and “Zebra (St. Sophia)” take a more meandering, jazzy approach with saxophone samples, bringing to mind the expansive work of producer Flying Lotus. Similar to the Los Angeles artist, Kristachuwan brings progressive ideas to styles like jazz, funk, and soul in an attempt to put past[...]

Tonight: Datsik

January 28, 2015

British Columbia-born producer, Datsik, has been creating crass, bass-oriented dubstep and trap music for nearly a decade, first breaking through in 2009 when ten of the artist’s releases reached number one on Beatport. In addition to original productions, Datsik has been consistently putting out an eclectic range of remixes throughout his career, reworking tracks by artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Diplo, Coldplay, Lana Del Rey, and MGMT. The producer also started his own label, Firepower Records, back in 2012 and has since signed various bass and dubstep artists in addition to releasing an EP and full length of his own music. Tonight, Datsik will bring his Ninja Nation tour to the Town Ballroom with support from Southern California trap producer Kennedy Jones and UK dubstep artist Trolley Snatcha. Doors open at 8pm, tickets are $30 and can be purchased here or at the door (although word is the show is just about sold out).[...]