Ratatat Kicks it From Their Heads @ the 'Sco

There were only two surefire ways this show could have gone down: gloriously, majestically, energetically as familiar beats and intertwined melodies caressed our welcoming eardrums, or with an unpleasant fire alarm due to the significant amounts of marijuana being consumed within the ‘Sco directly before Ratatat came on stage as impatient potheads looked around nervously, muttering “Where’s the weed at?” As the sold-out audience filtered out of the ‘Sco a little after 1 AM, saturated in sweat and thoroughly bruised, exhausted, and euphoric, I was thankful only that, wherever the weed was at, only a few bowls were consumed.

The highlights derived not only from the headlining Ratatat, but also from openers E*Rock and Panther, both of which performed as headliners would. E*Rock, one of many DJs out there going for the masked look, is prolific in many respects as the founder of Audio Dregs Records in Portland, OR as well as a visual artist and illustrator. Although the gritty sound of textured electronic layers and distortions may be immediately comparable to DJs such as Boys Noize or other masked DJs, the Bloody Beetroots, E*Rock’s usage of acoustic samples, toy instruments, and live percussion set him apart from other “bangers” out there. The overall effect of the black mask was one of complete emersion, allowing the audience to experience the live music as an entity in and of itself instead of as an aesthetic companion to recordings, which allowed for instantaneous energy, the culmination of which consisted in panoramic, neon explosions taking place in the background as E*Rock writhed and thrashed about on stage with a small, white device in each hand delivering intense deconstructions of sound and electronic mayhem. The usual milling around and gradual build of interest in the show certainly did not apply here – many loyal Ratatat fans found their spots during E*Rock’s set and danced their asses off until the very end.

Perhaps a tad more accessible to fans of both electronic and indie rock, Panther, also from Portland, took the stage by storm. Opening with the catchy tune, “Puerto Rican Jukebox,” Charlie Salas-Humara hit it with an infectious stage presence complete with a cutesy dance he calls “floor dancing” (he fancies himself the originator of said dance) and a slightly blemished singing voice which echoed with an undeniable charm around the ‘Sco. Using everything from guitars and drums to create a more traditional rock n’ roll sound to samplers and voice distortion, sleigh bells, and bongos to add the trademark Panter quirks, Salas-Humara was on top form. He even tipped his metaphysical hat to us during his set, calling the show the best he has had so far. Although the first song was perhaps the best of the set, the gusto of the audience kept steadily increasing as dreams of Ratatat shifted like sugar plums in our collective one-track mind.

It seemed like hours before Ratatat made their appearance on stage, but the audience certainly bemused themselves in the meantime, shouting different variations on the word “Ratatat” at various intervals (I heard “Rat Tits,” “Tatatar,” and “Rata-tata-tat” the most often, as well as the occasional “I’m going to Ratatat on you”). As soon as guitarist Mike Stroud and producer/synthesizer wizard Evan Mast meandered on stage with friend and big-haired touring accessory, Jacob Morris on keyboards, the crowd shared in a moment of frantic excitement, some people being knocked over even before any music started.

The set opened with a downtempo number from their new album, LP3, entitled “Brulee.” Despite the relaxed nature of the song and the delightful, twinkly piano samples, people were already being pushed to and fro and back again. Ratatat has been known for their live performances, which is mainly a product of cleverly designed set lists. Because there are sometimes a dozen or more parts occurring simultaneously in a given song, an entirely live performance would be practically impossible. Therefore, Ratatat sticks to formula, choosing three parts to focus the audience’s attention on, relying on samples for the rest of the work. The result is predictable, yes, but organized in a way where one cannot possibly feel a drop in energy. Opening with songs like “Brulee” and the next tune, “Mi Viejo,” Stroud and Mast captured our attention with live Latin percussion and Spanish-inspired minimalist melodies. Many eager fans had already lost their front-row status at this point, some people being pushed almost entirely on stage by the swelling masses wishing for a better look.

By the third song, and second single off of LP3, “Mirando,” chaos had ensued within the ‘Sco. This was perhaps the most interesting song to see performed live, as it is one of the more melodically complex tracks off of the new album. The band members themselves seemed more in-touch with their music during this and other newer tracks such as “Bird Priest.” Crowd favorites were undeniably “Lex” and “Wildcat” (which actually uses a sample of an actual wildcat roaring), although I couldn’t help but notice that, when I closed my eyes, I could have been just be listening to Classics on high volume in a room full of sweaty, dancing college students. Innately energetic as progressive songs, the fact that the band members seemed slightly bored or tired during these performances did little to diminish the overall effect. Jacob Morris, however, seemed to become more comfortable on stage as time went on, occasionally humping their stage crew or Mike Stroud during less active musical sections.

“I've been rapping for about seventeen years, okay? / I don't write my stuff anymore I just kick it from my head; / you know what I'm sayin’? / I can do that. / No disrespect, but that’s just how I am.” Thus opened what seemed to be the decisive crowd favorite, “Seventeen Years.” As the Baroque-inspired guitar riffs and powerful hip hop groove led into a single note jam, and finally to a chilled-out, simple beat accompanied by chorale-style harmonies, the energy finally subsided. Despite a few missed notes, this encore was a perfect sendoff for the most successful show the ‘Sco has seen lately. They can do that. No disrespect, but that’s just how it was.

Ratatat - "Mirando" (mp3)
Ratatat - "Seventeen Years" (mp3)

The Cool Kids with J-Live @ the 'Sco: A Success for Hip Hop 101

Considering the neon attire, The Cool Kids might not visually stand out from the other musical acts frequenting the ‘Sco lately. However, last Friday’s Cool Kids and J-Live show, sponsored by Hip Hop 101, was no Dan Deacon or Boys Noize. Oberlin’s thirst for fresh hip-hop, something not produced too often from visiting artists here, has finally been quenched. As 101 member Nana Efua Embii reflected: “We focus on artists who have positive messages, as well as those who have a great stage presence. Eventually, we decided that The Cool Kids and J-Live would be the best match up. J-Live has had just a long, successful career and The Cool Kids are just starting to break out.” This combination guaranteed an oh so bumpin’ night at the ‘Sco.

J-Live (AKA Justice Allah, Jean-Jacques Cadet, and founder of Triple Threat Productions) has mastered the gamut of the music industry in New York, producing, MCing, and DJing. Beginning his rap career in 1995, J-Live has come out with four full-length albums and two EPs, also having made guest appearances on numerous projects including Handsome Boy Modeling School’s The Truth and Asheru & Blue Black of Unspoken Heard’s Trackrunners. As he himself explains on the song “Braggin’ Writes,” he is “Metaphorically murderin’ MC's when they battle me / you can't rattle me. / I'm not your average snake slitherin’ through the grass; / I surpass the serpent as I head to class. / You consider me crass as I wax that ass; style's no joke, / but you best believe I gets the last laugh.”

Did I mention he was also a middle school English teacher in Brooklyn? I bet those kids could bust some sick rhymes.

DJing and simultaneously spitting out lyrics filled with references to chess, lumber, knives, school, and replete with much-deserved cockiness, J-Live mastered the crowd. Energy was inexplicably higher during his older music, which was full of sampled material taken from soul, R&B, and disco-era instrumentals. Perhaps the audience response to the older songs was induced by familiarity, as some of the new tracks were never-before-heard. I would argue, however, that the newer beats strayed a little too far out of his creative zone. They were rather lethargic, although bass-intensive, and the kind of groove they suggested was less than adequately evocative of the ‘Sco’s preferred dance technique of the bump n’ grind.

Although the “put yo hands in the air!” is a staple of pretty much any hip hop show, J-Live brought it to new heights (literally, I suppose) by starting out with a slow beat, yelling out for the audience to “try to keep up.” As the beat accelerated, the vigor with which the sea of hands pulsed to the beat amplified. Even though J-Live lost some of his command of the stage due to the lack of his usual DJ, he managed to maintain an impressive hold on the audience. Along with his clever lyrics and tasteful inclusion of funky samples, the thudding bass proved to be almost magnetic.

Having an extremely hyped-up hip-hop powerhouse perform at the ‘Sco brought in a whole new demographic of Cleveland hip-hop enthusiasts and former students. The Hip Hop 101 group here on campus worked diligently to organize this show, as elaborated upon by Embii: “There's a lot of little details that go into a great show. We work very closely with Tina Zwegat, who is a great mentor. She goes over everything and makes sure that we are on schedule. This year we had a great group of individuals that really sacrificed a lot for this show.” Another Hip Hop 101 member, Udoka Chima, added: “The show was a huge success; it sold out. There were over 400 people packed in the Sco. It was exciting to see so many new faces. There was a lot of perspective students there, some people from the town, and others from the Cleveland area and nearby colleges. The organizing process ran smoothly because the majority of Hip Hop 101 members are seniors and have been planning Hip Hop 101 events since 2004. I would say that the most difficult part of the whole process was choosing and bookings acts. Before we make a decision on who we bring, it’s important that we are all excited about the artist as well as consider if they will draw a crowd on campus. When we are assembling our show we like to involve student performers as much as possible. This year we were proud to showcase three Oberlin dance crews: And What!?, S.P.A.R.K., and a special performance choreographed by Sherece Donalds featuring Michi Osato, Carina Brown, Jessica Judson, and Veronica Alexander.” The level of enthusiasm for these dancers was intense, to put it mildly. I had to literally grasp on to my tall and accommodating friend and jump awkwardly in order to see anything through the throngs of entranced, yet pushy onlookers.

The Cool Kids (consisting of Antoine “Mikey Rocks” Reed from Chicago and Evan “Chuck Inglish” Ingersoll from Detroit) call themselves “the new black version of the Beastie Boys,” combining 80’s throwback (complete with Billy Idol lyrics quoted in the song ‘“88”) with bass-heavy beats. The music caters to this campus’s love for danceable and multi-faceted music. Students accustomed to the electro scene would feel completely at home at a Cool Kids show, as some songs like “Black Mags” or “Gold and a Pager” almost sound like some of Spank Rock’s Fabriclive mixes. In fact, they have worked alongside with Spank Rock producer, XXXChange, in order to remix the track “Stranger” by Sunny Day Sets Fire. Solidifying their indie cred, the song “Pump Up the Volume” has been remixed by Flosstradamus (who left many Oberlin students, author included, sad and confused after an almost-but-not-quite appearance on last month’s concert line-up). The Cool Kids also cite James Brown, The Ohio Players, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin as influences, alongside more expected figures like N.E.R.D. and Timbaland.

With most of their recorded material available online, many onlookers could rap along to their favorite songs. This show was particularly exciting, however, because many of the songs were new, coming from their forthcoming album, The Bake Sale (C.A.K.E. Recordings/Chocolate Industries) coming out on May 20th of this year. With the world of indie hip-hop being somewhat dominated by acts such as Atmosphere, Blackalicious, and Binary Star, The Cool Kids definitely stand out. Not only do they only sample more minimally, they also take inspiration from more European trends in electronic music and 80’s pop than they do from many genres of American hip-hop. Adding a distinctively urban edge to this unique base, The Cool Kids rocked the ‘Sco with bass-heavy syncopation and catchy loops.

A highlight of the show was a performance of the ever-popular song “Black Mags,” a confusing song if you pay attention to lyrics and don’t know much BMX terminology (the word “wheelie” was the only one that didn’t fly directly over my head), but is an excellent track musically, and even better live. A short version of the 1992 hit “Jump Around” by House of Pain peaked the interest of approximately 98% of the onlookers, who seemed genuinely thrilled to hear it and jumped…a lot. Some fly girls and guys also got to show off their best moves on stage, perhaps motivated by And What!? and S.P.A.R.K. Despite being my favorite Cool Kids song, “Gold and a Pager” fell a little flat live due to the lack of effects available during a tour versus in a recording studio. There is something so grimy but awesome about the impossibly low voice chanting, “With a little bit of gold and a paaaaager” that just didn’t quite hit the spot live. Otherwise, the show was hugely successful, with extraordinarily high levels of audience fervor.

After a long and fulfilling set, The Cool Kids left Oberlin wanting more, so many students stayed to dance until the ‘Sco closed. Nana Embii added as a closing thought that, “Over the past 4 years, it's really been a great experience. I really hope that we get some more first and second years to step up and join the organization. I'm graduating and I would love to see the tradition carry on well after I'm gone.”

If you missed out on the show, I have one thing to say: these kids were cool; probably cooler than you, unless you can breakdance.

J-Live - "Traveling Music" mp3
The Cool Kids - "Gold and a Pager" mp3
The Cool Kids - "88" mp3

Crystal Castles and HEALTH: The Show to End All Shows

Like an exponentially growing percentage of the Oberlin campus, you may be in love with Crystal Casltes (or at least Alice Glass). This could be for various reasons, including but not limited to: 1) Alice Glass is a hottie, 2) she looks like Karen O back when Karen O was a little hotter than she is now, 3) they make mind-blowing experimental thrash-electro music, or 5) Ethan (born Claudio) Kath used to be in a bad hardcore band in which his name was Ethan Deth. Ok, so it probably has nothing to do with the last reason, and that’s a good thing. Needless to say, after someone hears the CC remix of “Crimewave” by fellow touring band HEALTH, which reached #9 on the UK indie singles chart, there’s no going back. You are a lover, or I don’t know who you are.

By touring with the band that put you on the map, both HEALTH and CC had amazing foresight. We at Oberlin were witness to the first portion of a widely talked-about tour, which, I was not at all shocked to find out, lived up to all my wildest expectations.

Oberlin electronic duo Lionface (Ex-FX Unicorn) consisting of Alex Christie and Michael Rosen were on first, combining cute blips and beeps with house beats and pulsating bass. Despite less-than-impressive levels of audience dance-age until right before HEALTH performed, Lionface had a vigorous set. I know I am not alone in my sentiment when saying that I am now reassured that the name change has not at all affected the electro-pop appeal of FX Lionfaceicorn.

Los Angeles noise rock band HEALTH stormed the stage with what looked like a couple tons of equipment. This includes your “standard” rock n’ roll instruments along with synths, a super cool electronically distorted drum-head-thing (ask any TIMARA major for an intelligent and accurate description), and a Zoothorn, which is essentially a permutation of guitar and microphone, creating severe, distorted sonic mayhem.

John Famiglietti, multiple instrumentalist and occasional shrieker, kicked off the set with what looked like convulsions paired with the apocalyptic beating of the aforementioned super cool electronic drum thing. Listening to their self-titled 2007 Lovepump United release, it would seem illogical for HEALTH to pull off a good live show due to the seemingly unsystematic pairings of silence and raging waves of noise, but they proved me wrong. The almost-telepathic rhythmic communication between the band members was extraordinary, tightly winding their parts together with minimal metrical inaccuracy.

HEALTH has their moments of yelling and screeching, but their tendencies toward mellow chanting and smooth vocal soundscapes set them apart from other experimental, noise rock groups. On their recordings, the vocal parts are highlighted and provide a shimmering drone amongst the otherwise rhythmically centered clamor. A venue like the ‘Sco has a naturally hard time providing an acoustically viable landscape for this kind of sound, so the disappointing lack of vocal luster was the only tangible complaint I left with.

Some, however, thought that the show was too loud. One audience member came up to Farniglietti after their set in order to tell him: “Hey. Great show, but I was wondering if you could just play quieter next time.” “You mean, when you’re not there?” “Yeah.” Farniglietti gave a weak chuckle as if to express his unwillingness to take bullshit from not-yet-deaf fans while we walked into the Decafé to discuss his experiences at Oberlin as well as HEALTH’s history and evolution as a band.

The Oberlin Tritone: Hi John. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today. So, what did you think of your set? How did it compare to your last visit to Oberlin?
JF: Well, last time was awesome; the school is retarded hip. We were supposed to open for Dan Deacon, but we ended up headlining because he couldn’t make it. We played with Crime Novels and Video Hippos, which made it a really high-energy show automatically. The vibe was awesome. This time was pretty different.

OT: Yeah- not as many people were moving around or dancing as I thought.
JF: I think that’s just the nature of this show. I mean it was a Dan Deacon show technically last time, so the kids came to dance.

OT: What was the original vision for HEALTH?
JF: It wasn’t to play crazy ass music. It was mostly traditional rock music and post punk at first. Honestly, we weren’t too happy with it; we thought it sucked but we didn’t know how to do what we wanted to do. We just kept getting weirder and weirder. For the first four months we were together, we played the straightforward stuff live, but then people responded more to the weirder stuff so we ditched the old stuff.

OT: Are there any bands that inspired this shift in particular?
JF: There were a lot of rock bands that indirectly influenced us, like early Animal Collective. A band that directly influences us is Ex-Models, the New York band.

OT: You have received a lot of acclaim based on the remixes bands like Crystal Castles have done with your work. Are there any dream collaborations you foresee in the future?
J: Well, we’d like to do more actual collaborations. A dream would be Italians Do It Better’s Johnny Jewel. We’ve talked a little bit, but it’s still thoroughly out there. As far as remixes, Crystal Castles is really the best there is. A datA remix would be awesome, but they wanted money, and we don’t really want to do that. I’d love to be remixed by Mirage next, but he's (Jewel) been swamped lately. Emperor Machine would be cool too. I don’t know if this would fit with our sound, but it would be cool to work with Ratatat on a remix. Again, Italians Do It Better acts like Chromatics would be amazing.

OT: So what bands have you personally been listening to lately?
JF: I never get tired of Crystal Castles, obviously. I listen to Glass Candy and Chromatics every single day. I like a lot of Video Hippos and I love Dan Deacon too.

OT: How did you guys and Crystal Castles become acquainted?
JF: We have been internet friends for years. “Crimewave” is actually two years old, but it was just recently released. The split was supposed to be done over a year ago. It is really exciting to be with them on their first ever headlining tour. They’re getting so fucking huge in the UK. I mean, it’s apples to oranges, but they’re fucking gigantic.

OT: Yeah, it’s crazy. I remember when I first heard “Crimewave” and it was so fresh and under the radar. Speaking of the tour, if you had to pick one band to tour with in an ideal world, who would it be?
JF: I’m not even lying; Crystal Castles is number one on the list of bands, for sure.

OT: Well we’re so lucky to have this tour come through. Thanks for the intense set, and I hope you come back soon.
JF: Yeah, for sure. Get ready for an amazing live show. Crystal Castles is always sick.

Sick indeed. Not many bands are as mysterious as Crystal Castles. Unwilling to be interviewed after a catastrophic misquoting experience in which a journalist painted a portrait of CC as a “mistake band,” Glass and Kath have flown way under the radar. Which, of course, makes them irresistible and, ironically enough, even more widely adored. Through the sweaty excitement resulting from HEALTH’s high-power set and the blaring hormonal need for Oberlin to dance to thrash-electro during midterms week, Ethan Kath could be discerned setting up various MicroKorgs and keyboards. He reportedly found the first keyboard used in CC in a Toronto dumpster, and outfitted it with Atari 5200 chips and TurboGrafx sound effects. My common sense would lead me to believe that with their recent raging success amongst neon and vintage-clad twenty-somethings worldwide, Kath has probably been able to afford something a little nicer than garbage for his mysterious, shadowy set-up. Throughout the show, Kath remained in the corner, hooded sweatshirt obscuring his face almost entirely.

All lights were dimmed as Alice Glass mystically appeared on stage, wearing ultra-hip, ripped red tights with matching eye makeup and a simple, black skirt and tee shirt combo. Strobe lights flashing, warped video game beats pounding, Glass trounced around stage, sometimes crawling and dragging the microphone on the stage, breathing into it with a combination of raw sexual verve and ghostly anguish. Oberlin students congested the front row, desperately dancing and reaching out to touch Glass. Holding the strobe light in one hand and the microphone in the other, she peaked the audience’s attention, energy streaming from every corner of the ‘Sco.

It would be all too easy to neglect the existence of the drummer, since he is not officially a member of CC, nor were his beats significant in the context of the show. The high-hat and bass were used, but not to excess in order to showcase Kath’s signature twisted, synthesized glitches. I would say that the drummer’s proudest moment was probably when Glass climbed atop the drum set, howling and spitting out lyrics for one of the songs that first made them a famous internet musical act, “Alice Practice.”

Despite a relatively short set (CC is famous for only playing for about 25 minutes and then mysteriously disappearing), everyone seemed incredibly satisfied. Hits like “Crimewave” and “Untrust Us” were played to perfection, sounding raw and exuberant while maintaining their recognizable structure and tone. The first few blips and high-pitched chromaticisms of “Crimewave” sent the ‘Sco into a frenzy, jumping up and down and mouthing the hardly-discernable lyrics of “Eyes lit, I pawn short breaths; a fawn's dark eye lids…dadadadadadie…” The highlights of the show were not the Myspace favorites, but were actually the brutally dissonant songs like “Love and Caring” and “Xxzxcuzx Me” in which the frenetic walls of sound ushered the audience to thrash their limbs every which-way as Glass flopped around on stage, possessed by the unrefined demon of electro-goddessdom.

It is no wonder why this eccentric act from Canada is so utterly “in.” Their full-length, self-titled debut was released on March 18th of this year, conveying a coarse brand of brilliance only expressed through musical risk and experimentation. This performance validated that Crystal Castles possesses the uncanny ability to spontaneously recreate and generate an even edgier and more danceable sound live.

Plus, anyone who was in the first row with me can attest to the fact that touching the shoulder of Alice Glass is in fact like touching Aphrodite on speed.

HEALTH - "Perfect Skin" mp3
Crystal Castles - "Courtship Dating" mp3
Crystal Castles - "Untrust Us" mp3

If you missed out on the show, this live compilation video of the song "Xxzxcuzx Me" is an accurate depiction of the Crystal Castles live experience.

Believe the Hype: Boys Noize Show Reviewed, Plus an Interview with Alex Ridha Himself!

80 tickets were pre-sold for the Wednesday night Boys Noize show, which means that at least 80 people were planning on failing their Thursday morning midterms. Personally, I counted the hours of shakin’ it to vigorous electronica as a prime studying opportunity for my German exam the next morning. I mean, that’s what they DO in Germany, right? Ja. That, and buy ridiculously hip, multicolored neon hats like the one Boys Noize DJ Alex Ridha was wearing all evening. Anyway, it looks like at least 80 of you have your priorities straight.

DJ Trees (AKA Oberlin senior Ted Rees) started off the show with increasingly energetic, intelligent techno beats. Trees took 2k8’s electronic sensibilities and added some 90s flare, smoothly mixing beats and melodic content to match the mood in the room. About 45 minutes before Boys Noize took the stage, people started to take notice of the high-octane dance music and began to flood the floor. Despite the punchy thuds of the bass and the growing audience of techno-appreciators, impatience for Boys Noize to take the stage was running rampant. I heard drunken screams of “Boys Noize!!!” floating through the ‘Sco and soon enough, Ridha arrived on stage.

Rotating sparkling silver skulls like the ones seen in sticker format all around campus for weeks before the show enshrouded Ridha with light as disembodied robot voices were manipulated by the turning of knobs, the pressing of buttons, and the changing of levels. Simultaneously, everyone in the now-crowded ‘Sco forgot that they had any midterms at all as Ridha pumped out jams from his new full-length album, “Oi Oi Oi,” as well as a couple of his ever-popular remixes. Some of the album tracks used at this show were made better, extended, and improvised upon. An example that sticks out to me as being particularly awesome was the live version of “The Battery,” in which a middle section was added with a thudding bass line that made many students around me sound as though they were either having an orgasm or had just realized the meaning of life.

The pulsating, feel-it-in-your-chest-cavity bass was a theme throughout the show. On songs like “Vergiftet” and “Lava Lava,” this was balanced out with screeching high points and siren-like pulses and echoes, driving people to pump their fists in the air and generally just throw themselves all over the place. These two songs were both extended mixes of recognizable grooves from the album. They were separated by a message machine recording we might all recognize from our own lives, in which a mother desperately inquires as to where you are and what you’re doing. It was comically distorted and robotified as only Boys Noize can do it, and prepared the audience for a second wave of sweaty dancing.

In practically every Boys Noize song, there is a “holy fuck” moment in which the beat drops, the bass comes in, or something unexpected and profoundly badass happens. I considered “& Down” to be the highlight of the show, as it is made up of a couple “holy fuck” moments on the record, but is continuously this way live. When Boys Noize tells you to “dance dance dance now” or “get down,” you do it. The track was masterfully mixed and improvised upon without interrupting the dense, grinding pulse.

If you came to the show only knowing one Boys Noize song, it was most likely the remix of Feist’s “My Moon My Man,” which has been played at practically every (decent) house party I have ever been to at Oberlin. Ridha teased the audience with snippets of this remix throughout his set, but when the actual remix was played all the way through, it was a little bit of a letdown in contrast to the other songs. Simply because of the nature of the remix, there are extended sections in which Feist croons, “Take it slow, take it easy on me…” which is exactly what Ridha did. It is testament to the rest of the Boys Noize library that the original mixes would be the best live, and that one of his most popular and energetic remixes would be comparatively sub-par.

During the whole set, Ridha maintained an understated bob-of-the-head, tap-of-the-toes, plus occasional grin at the audience contentment. This being said, Ridha looked just as upset as the rest of us when he realized it was almost 1:45 AM and it was time to get going. Although I was, as most of the other students, totally unpresentable and danced-out, I managed to talk to the charming German DJ (with the equally charming unibrow) after the show to discuss the set, his favorite projects, and his own record label.

The Oberlin Tritone: Hey! Great show; I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet!
AR: Thanks, yes. Me neither. There was so much I wanted to play but I ran out of time. It was a lot of fun though.

OT: What do you think of Oberlin? Do you like it here?
AR: Well, I really didn’t know what to except. It is a curious place. Even the name didn’t say anything to me, but then I found out that the city is into a lot of music and that the school is very famous. I thought, “Oh that’s great! The kids are into music!” So then I thought more something about the school, and I like it. I think it is good that so many people play music well, and then they are more likely to be into listening to good music.

OT: That’s definitely true. Speaking of that connection between listening and performance, how did you get into electronic music?
AR: I don’t remember any specific bands or DJs, but my brother was the one who got me into electronic music. He is ten years older than me. He listened to a lot of house music around 1986, and I got in touch with electronic music without even knowing that that was necessarily what it was.

OT: Do you want to talk a little about your record label?
AR: Oh, yes sure. I started the label in 2005 and since then, there have been 20 releases; 12 on vinyl only, but they are all digitalized by now as well. The plan was to only release my own music, but I liked the idea of using the label as a platform for fresh stuff that I like. I have been producing for ten years now, so it was the next step. I then released my own full-length album with my own label.

OT: That full length includes one of the most recognizable remixes of this year: your remix of Feist’s “My Moon My Man,” which is just one of many remixes you have done. Do you have a personal favorite?
AR: Yes, I really love the Kaiser Chiefs remix I did. It was released in June 2005, and then on CD in September 2005. Originally, the song was totally different. It was super fast. So I made it into new music. I also really have a passion for Depeche Mode, so I like that remix I did. With the Cut Copy remix, I didn’t like the original, and I don’t remix songs that I don’t like. But the verses were great, even though the chorus was horrible. So I made a complete new music, and I finished it in two days.

OT: Wow. Are you working on any collaborations right now?
AR: Yes. I have already done one remix of Gonzales, but now I am doing another one. I also just saw The Faint yesterday, and we are collaborating on a track called “Wet Floor,” which you can expect to be out in maybe September.

OT: That’s so exciting! Well, thank you so much for coming here and for the awesome show.
AR: Yes! Nice to be here!

Alex Ridha then departed in his swanky limo, leaving us electroheads and midterm slackers with a successful night. As Xavier of Justice puts it, “Boys Noize makes the words 'German,' 'techno,' and 'DJ' sound cool again.”

For those of you who didn't attend the show, this is why you should have:

Feist - "My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)" mp3
Boys Noize - "& Down" mp3

Death to False Metal: Genghis Tron Conquers the 'Sco

As one of the people on campus who wear the anonymously deemed “silly Genghis Tron hoodies” (Oberlin Confessional post), I had been the recipient of generally everyone’s personal outlook on their Friday, March 7^th show here at the ‘Sco. Some students speculated that an electronic, experimental, metal band would be hard-pressed to put on a genuinely musical live show. Some were curious about the buzz surrounding this band on campus; probably as a result of last year’s performance, described by the band members themselves to be the second craziest show they have ever played. Some were intrigued by GT but were primarily interested in seeing Oberlin’s own metal band, Goatsucker perform. Costing only four bucks and sporting a fairly diverse lineup, the show was more than worth checking out for anyone who had ever wondered what the hell Genghis Tron was.

Boston-based rock band, Clouds, kicked off the show with a lackluster performance of a type of music difficult to put one’s finger on. Garage rock sensibilities were overwrought with a pop punk stage presence and, dare I say, “emo” backwash. The crowd was hesitant to react in any way to the music, until urged closer to the stage by both the band and the group of loyal headbangers from the Metal Exco. By the end of their set, the ‘Sco was filling up and excitement for Goatsucker was weighing heavy in the air. Senior Ian Page (vocals) cut a striking image, as breakdown after solid, brutal breakdown fueled the ever-growing mosh pit. With newly recorded material under their belt, Goatsucker sounded confident and severe, priming the audience for the highly anticipated headliner.

“Where’s your drummer?” screamed a belligerent fan, garnering sidelong glances from the three-piece band now based in Philadelphia. Random snippets of loud conversation were filtering through the decently sized crowd. It was easy to see who the loyal fans were, standing in the front and listening to the sound check intently, figuring out what the set list would be. Mookie Singerman (vocals) paced calmly, wearing pale beige aviators and sporting an impressive beard. Hamilton Jordan (guitar & drum programming) and Michael Sochynsky (keyboards & drum programming) prepared intently, making sure the drum parts they meticulously polished for their newest full-length release, Board Up the House (Relapse Records, Feb. ’08), sounded just the way they had planned.

And then there came a familiar metronomic clicking, followed by the metallically synthesized three-note riff announcing the title track off of the new album. The crowd braced themselves as multicolored, vertical, flashing lights pulsated along with the music. The introduction slammed straight into heavy, technical grindcore with Singerman’s crisp screams detailing the horror story of two people trapped in a house – a fear of Singerman’s and running theme throughout the new album. The energy was undeniably intense, students mercilessly pushing and thrashing along with the relentless drive of the music. However, during the industrial, IDM, and dance-inspired interludes, the audience regrouped and followed the grooves set up by Sochynsky. A highlight of the concert came with a few moments of lyricism, in which I could see devoted fans singing together with their eyes fixed on Singerman, “Things don’t look good” before submerging themselves once again into the sonic mayhem.

As GT closed with a kick-ass performance of track off of the 2006 release, Dead Mountain Mouth, entitled “Asleep on the Forest Floor,” I looked through the bright, blinking lights and saw an assembly of people with usually variant taste in music. However, they were all immersed in this continuously escalating blend of metal and electronic music. The show ended strongly, with all of the skeptics nodding their heads at me as if to affirm Genghis Tron’s legitimacy. I have yet to run into anyone who did not have the wind knocked out of them by the sheer force and finesse of this performance…unless you count Sochynsky who grumbled that the show was “really loud. Maybe too loud.”

I'm not complaining.


Genghis Tron - "Arms" mp3

Genghis Tron and Their Magestic Beards: An Interview with Michael Sochynsky

Genghis Tron is not your grandmother’s favorite band. They 1) sound like Aphex Twin one minute and inexplicably virtuosic grindcore the next, 2) make a three-piece band devoid of bass or drums feel like an unsparing wave of sound, 3) have written songs about boiling rock candy ashes, and 4) kicked so much ass at the ‘Sco last year that we just had to have them back on March 7th.

Consisting of Mookie Singerman (vocals & keyboards), Michael Sochynsky (keyboards & drum programming), and Hamilton Jordan (guitar & drum programming), Genghis Tron has been active since 2004, when they formed at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Now based in Philadelphia, Genghis Tron released their first EP in 2005, Cloak of Love.

Genghis Tron commands mastery of the artful transition. Songs like “Laser Bitch” off of Cloak of Love can evolve from a groove reminiscent of New Deal to a jarring tech-metal culmination. These progressions were built upon for their next full-length release, Dead Mountain Mouth (2006), an undeniably more ferocious album replete with darker lyrics, end-of-days-worthy screaming, and totally skillful electronic backdrops, breakdowns, and interludes. Their newest full-length, Board Up the House, was just unleashed this February 19th on the Relapse record label. With more audible industrial, Intelligent Dance Music (IDM), and experimental direction, this record has captured the brutality of Dead Mountain Mouth while haunting electronic beats tie the album together.

Recently, I spoke with Genghis Tron keyboardist and drum programmer Michael Sochynsky. We discussed the new album, the band’s experience at Oberlin last year, politics and lyrics, as well as answering some questions I have been dying to ask ever since I got myself tangled up in this cybergrindcore-electronica-whatever-the-hell-it-is…music.

The Oberlin Tritone: I am really excited about the new album, Board Up the House. It seems to have heightened IDM, ambient and industrial influences. What inspired that shift?

Michael Sochynsky: I guess we’ve always kind of tried to have that kind of stuff mixed in to the heavier sounding stuff. But with the last album, Dead Mountain Mouth, we had a lot less time in studio to work on it. We had ten days to record then, and we had a month this time. So we had a lot more time to make sure that the sort of quieter, electronic parts were, like, more up-front and prevalent on the album. And I guess also, we also thought that the last album we did was good but it was almost too brutal and heavy, and like almost hard to get through because it was punishing and harsh, basically.

OT: The contrast is amazing on this album, musically. Lyrically, songs like “White Walls” and “Chapels” off of your last record had some extremely intense lyrics. Has writing lyrics for the new album been a different experience?

MS: Mookie, the singer, wrote the lyrics. Definitely, the last album was more personal and about various things were happening to people in the band, but at the same time the lyrics were what I perceived as being kind of cryptic and coded and it wasn’t exactly clear what a lot of songs were actually about. On this album, the lyrics are more accessible and apply to everybody - global things.

OT: “Dead Mountain Mouth” is a definite connection to TS Eliot’s famous poem, “The Waste Land.” How does this fit into your lyrical style? Can we expect more poetry references in this album?

MS: I don’t know. I mean, people get really into the fact that we lifted a phrase from “The Waste Land.” It wasn’t a particularly significant choice; it was more like that the phrase sounded cool and connected to what the album was about in a loose way. With the new one, we wanted to make it more positive and uplifting, not so, so fucking angry all the time. I don’t know if we succeeded with that. I think we did, to a certain degree because I think this album is a lot more melodic. It’s still heavy and intense and the lyrics ended up being about how the future looks, how we’re sort of at the end of times: so many horrible things happening around the world, and no one really trying to stop them. So that’s not really the most uplifting message, but we tried to make it a little more positive.

OT: How was the environment at Vassar, where the three of you met? Did that lead up to the political style of the lyrics?

MS: There’s no politics at Vassar. Most students are very apolitical. I found that my classes’ teachers were more left-leaning than the students. I was there when the Iraq war just started. Being on a campus honestly didn’t have any bearing on the band at all. It was just where we happened to be. During summer or winter breaks we’d basically just tour all the time. We didn’t really have a music scene on campus either. There were only a few campus bands.

OT: How did such an innovative band form within that kind of environment?

MS: Basically, it was sort of a drunken promise between me and Hamilton, the guitarist. I’d run into him at a party or something and be like, “Oh, yeah, we have to start this hilarious band…” We realized that we had a common interest in extremely heavy music, like grindcore and death metal, stuff like that. But also we were both into IDM and other electronic music. We were like, “Oh, we have to make this hilarious band where it’s grindcore one minute and then it sounds like Boards of Canada.” So eventually we sat down and actually did it, made a few songs and they were kinda ok.

OT: I’m sure some Oberlin students can relate to that. What did you think of Oberlin last time you came?

MS: Oh my gosh - it was so awesome. It was like totally insane. I couldn’t believe how many people were there. I couldn’t believe how totally massive and insane and energetic the audience was, like it was seriously one of the craziest shows we’ve ever played, definitely in recent memory. I hope it’ll be the same this time. It’s gonna be real energetic and crazy. Everyone should be ready to party and go nuts.

OT: I can’t wait! Well Michael, thank you for talking to me today, and for coming back to Oberlin.

MS: Yeah! See you at the show!

So, if you like electronic music, metal, dancing, crazy shit, noises, the Mongols, 1986 neon sci-fi, and beards, you have finally found your niche. The Boston-based noise/garage rock band, Clouds, along with student metal band, Goatsucker, will be opening for Genghis Tron at the ‘Sco on March 7^th. Tickets are $4 for students and $8 for general admission.

Genghis Tron - "City on a Hill" mp3

Here is a video of last year's performance at the 'Sco. The song is "Board Up the House."