Electropolis is a city in the distant future where blips rule the day and bleeps conquer the night. A place where the humans are divided–there are the dance masters and master dancers. The dance masters create electro-rhythms and force the master dancers to disco-funk and hustle to their penetrating beats.
But harmony does not reign in Electropolis. The savage, thumping packs of dance masters each battle for supreme control over the master dancers, and groups of these inhabitants have arrived in Portland.
The crusade for supreme control of Electropolis takes place at Someday Lounge on Saturday, February 6th between Arohan, Serious Business, Sex Life, Soft Metals, Starlight & Magic, Very International Love, and The Pragmatic.
Dance masters are planners and thinkers, fabricating beats and parties. But without the lowly master dancers, they have no reason to exist. Thus, it is up to you, the master dancer, to keep the machine running, let the beat pound on.
Dance to the duel and determine who will rule Electropolis on Saturday night.
With the help of the E.T. phone, OMN was able to beam a transmission into the future and alphabetically ask Electropolis’ princesses and powerhouses about their arrival at Someday on Saturday.
Listen to Very International Love “Fire” while you read.
Arohan
Who are you?
Arohan: …is Taylor Gehrts, a Portland native working on electronic music for the last decade and also one half of the ambient duo Mori. He loves dancing and making others do the same. The Arohan project started up about 3 years ago and hasn’t stopped changing sounds since–from instrumental techno/house to updated 80’s inspired vocal pop and back. Don’t get too used to my sound.
Serious Business: Three businessmen specialized in the art of dance; Jason Mampel, Daniel Diana-Peebles, and Jeramie Moran.
Sex Life: Bobby Smith, Ashley Long, Colin Jenkins, and Niko Kwiatkowski.
Soft Metals: …is the electronic music of Patricia Hall and Ian Hicks. Metals are strong and represent permanence. It is difficult to shape them to our purposes, but it can be done. It is the idea of humans shaping the resources on our planet that have always been here–our intelligence, our inheritance of things that other humans left behind, and what we make of them.
Starlight & Magic: We are the heavens’ execution of freestyle synth passion, an exercise in the pleasures of the flesh, and a couple of fine m-effers.
Very International Love: Joe Turner and Connor Dudley.
What is Electropolis?
Arohan: It’s a party, and an idealistic techno all-the-time fantasy city (similar to Berlin).
Serious Business: A sci-fi dance party featuring the talents of Portland’s finest electronic musicians.
Starlight & Magic: According to Google it’s a four-part “retro themed” future sci-fi mystery comic series set in “1999 as envisioned in 1939.” It was supposedly created by Dean Motter and run from 2001 to 2002, but we know better than to believe that!
Very International Love: Electronica for the People!
Listen to Starlight & Magic “Please You”
Starlight & Magic
Where is Electropolis?
Arohan: In the ether.
Serious Business: Your mom’s house.
Starlight & Magic: I’d like to say in your future dreams, but it’s definitely more likely that it’s at your mom’s house.
What’s your sound in one sentence?
Arohan: Pop meets techno/house with some industrial thrown in. Always dancey, that’s the only rule.
Serious Business: Milkshake and heartbreak.
Sex Life: We just started the band in late summer, but I guess the goal for now is to sound like the best parts of nighttime stuff mixed with morning vibes when everything’s sunny.
Soft Metals: A combination of minimal synth and early Chicago house played on vintage synths and drum machines.
Starlight & Magic: A jam box from space made of pink and purple laser beams with the volume turned to steamy hot pleasure.
Very International Love: Euro-trash dance music.
Can we expect any special costumes or synchronized dance moves?
Arohan: I will defiantly be dancing, can’t help it. Costume… hum… maybe?
Serious Business: Most Likely. Our white bow ties, affinity for hot pink, and robot dance moves tend to sync up unintentionally.
Sex Life: Ashley always wears something special and the rest of us usually just look like “Portland guys.” We don’t really choreograph the dance moves… we just sort of bop around.
Soft Metals: No special costumes, but we do use DIN SYNC.
Starlight & Magic: You can expect what you like, and we just might be able to supply it. As for dance moves… we’ve heard of them.
Very International Love: Maybe costumes. Dance moves will be synchronized by accident.
Soft Metals
Five best sounds in Portland.
Arohan: Dump trucks idling early in the morning, my cat jumping on all the bass keys of the piano, Doppler effect that happens when you ride by a honking car, my SH-101, and Soft Metals playing anywhere.
Serious Business: Drunk roommates screaming, downtown construction, May Ling’s vocals, conversations outside Dirty, and gun shots on MLK.
Sex Life: Hell… I mean, in terms of music, there are so many good ones. Bobby has been talking about Miracles Club and Soft Metals a lot these days. We all love Ripley Snell/Orion. I like a lot of the Oregon Painting Society stuff. And seriously: Why I Must Be Careful! Those guys really know how to flip their shit.
Soft Metals: Solenoid, Arohan, Miracles Club, Reporter, and the sound of train whistles by Skidmore Bluffs at night.
Starlight & Magic: Sexy Sighs, Passionate Moans, Blissful Shrieks, Starlight & Magic…?
Very International Love: Espresso shots pulling, milk steaming, PBR cans cracking, fixed gear bike tires skidding, rain hitting window. Ohh, you mean bands…
Most magical place in Portland.
Arohan: My studio, or bedroom (biased).
Serious Business: The Lloyd Center and Burgerville.
Sex Life: The first place I think of is this staircase on the west side of the school around 26th and Division. If you go up there at dusk you can usually get a good combo of soft breeze, people doing stuff, trees/plants, sunset, etc. There’s also a water tower around Alma and Amherst in North Portland that I always wanted to get on top of…
Soft Metals: Ian: Pine State Biscuits… or Skidmore Bluffs, Forest Park.
Patricia: The Chinese Gardens when no one but Ian and I are there. I like to pretend it’s the house that Ian and I live in and it’s on top of a secluded mountain top. Ian’s studio is pretty magical to me, too.
Starlight & Magic: Star’s boudoir most definitely.
Very International Love: Magic Gardens.
Listen to Serious Business “How To Become Rich & Famous”
Serious Business
Best song you’ve heard today.
Arohan: “Extra Ordinary” by Yukihiro Takahashi.
Serious Business: Gorillaz new song “Stylo” and Fever Ray’s “Now Is The Only Time I Know.”
Sex Life: “People Get Ready” by Curtis Mayfield. It was the Impressions version. The Chambers Brothers do a great version of that song too, and they change the time signature to 6/8. There’s so much heart in that song.
Soft Metals: Ian: Kasso “One More Round.”
Patricia: Zwicker “Oddity (feat. Olivera Stanimirov/ John Talabot Remix).”
Starlight & Magic: Oh a really sweet tune called “You’re Mine” by Sterenlicht und Zauber. Its got a really catchy chorus, and the girl that sings is gorgeriffic!
Very International Love: “The Mall and the Misery” by Broken Bells.
Best kept secret that you’re willing to divulge.
Arohan: I’ll have three new songs for this show.
Sex Life: Don’t worry about 2012.
Soft Metals: Ian: Used to be an outtie.
Patricia: Never had a cavity.
Starlight & Magic: Hmm, it’s probably that we aren’t DJ’s. But we’ve heard some talk about a performance in the bed above the entrance to Someday Lounge…
Very International Love: Not yet.
Does practice make perfect?
Arohan: Yes or at least close enough for a live endeavor.
Serious Business: As long as the computer doesn’t crash.
Sex Life: Yeah, it makes you a lot better. I mean… it’s important to practice.
Soft Metals: Definitely.
Starlight & Magic: It gets you close, but sound checks make you sound good.
Very International Love: No, but it sure helps!
Listen to Very International Love “Rapture”
Very International Love
Camo can or long neck?
Arohan: Fine aged Bourbon please.
Serious Business: Camoneck. Camel toe.
Sex Life: I just can’t bring myself to drink too many cans of beer these days. You’ve gotta be drinking someplace uncomfortable/fun like an ally or something.
Soft Metals: Patricia doesn’t drink beer, but Ian says camo can.
Starlight & Magic: Fresh! Is this some sort of sexual offer? We’d like you to know that we’re here for the kids.
Very International Love: Whiskey.
—
Downloads :
Arohan on SoundCloud
The Pragmatic — Circles EP
Starlight & Magic — “Please You”
Very International Love — “Fire” and “Rapture”
Serious Business — “The Fever,” “How To Become Rich & Famous,” and “Hot Damn”
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