Just announced: Bradford Cox’s experimental, solo (but with backing band) side-project Atlas Sound will be playing Holocene on Tuesday, February 16th along with best friend Adam Forkner, aka the electro-ambient White Rainbow.
Listen to this summer’s anthem “Walkabout” with vocal help from Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox/Panda Bear.
Cox sold out the Doug Fir on Halloween weekend playing alongside Broadcast, a gig that also featured Forkner wielding an ax on “Kid Klimax” towards the close of the show.
This may be your last chance to see Cox solo for a while playing his “ideas that I can’t make work with a five piece rock band….” That band being Deerhunter, who are rocking Berbati’s on April 12th before cruising down to Indio for this year’s Coachella.
UPDATE
This indie rock line up just continues to swell with the additions of PDX favs Nurses and SF electro-experimentalist Jib Kidder on Tuesday evening at Holocene.
All Tomorrow’s Parties is a song by The Velvet Underground, a novel, and an English music festival.
This film is about the latter, a music fest that was founded as an alternative to the UK’s massive festivals and featured a lot of what falls under our all-encompassing indie rock umbrella–in the beginning post-rock, avant-garde, and underground hip-hop was often featured.
This 2009 documentary is a “post-punk DIY bricolage”and was made using fan and musician-generated footage filmed live at the events with formats ranging from Super8 to camcorder to mobile phone.
ATP covers the history of the event while documenting the creative madness and merrymaking of a music festival. It features :
Belle And Sebastian / Grizzly Bear / Sonic Youth / Battles / Portishead / Daniel Johnston / Grinderman / David Cross / Animal Collective / The Boredoms / Les Savy Fav / Mogwai / Octopus Project / Slint / The Dirty Three / The Yeah Yeah Yeahs / The Gossip / GZA / Seasick Steve / Iggy And The Stooges / A Hawk And A Hacksaw / Fuck Buttons / Micah P Hinson / Two Gallants / Akron/Family / Jah Shaka / Saul Williams / Shellac / Patti Smith / John Cooper Clark / Lightning Bolt / Roscoe Mitchell / The Mars Volta
Wow. Need I say more? Here’s a preview that looks like it was created by Stanley Kubrick.
—
Friday, January 22 at 9 PM ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES [82 mins.]
GREAT BRITAIN 2009 | DIRECTOR: JONATHAN CAOUETTE
More information on NW Film Center
VENUE :
Whitsell Auditorium
1219 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR 97205
ADMISSION PRICES : $8 General $7 PAM Members, Students, Seniors $5 Friends of the Film Center
Double features are an additional $2 per ticket.
[cash or checks only]
Materials : Drums, projector, speakers, white sheet, dancers, Deelay Ceelay.
Procedure :
1 — Mix 2 drummers and elegant electronics with psychedelic photo animations projected on a white sheet.
2 — Never let the beat stop.
3 — Do the hustle.
Evaluation : This isn’t science, it’s art. No need to follow the above steps in any particular order, or at all.
Conclusion : In this experiment “kinetic abstractions” (visuals) were combined with drums (audio) and ambient electronics (music) from Chris Lael Larson and Delaney Kelly. The result was a psychedelic blend of natural and technological, artistic and scientific processes to create an uncontrollable reaction: the invincible urge to rock.
Deelay Ceelay are not an experiment. They are a sensory experience with two basic elements: Deelay and Ceelay, who command two drums kits and add two supplemental components (electronic ambiance and animated visuals) merging these chemicals into something tremendous–a live voyage through space and time in the darkness of Portland’s best clubs.
They don’t just mix these media, they shake them around and shattered them, just to slowly reassemble them before your eyes and ears with clambering, musical peaks and crashing valleys. Playing off intuition, the duo shares the stage and drums in a performance of sight and sound.
Deelay Ceelay promise to stop playing so many shows and finish their full-length LP, but they show no signs of slowing down in 2010.
Chris Lael Larson, drummer and video artist, talked with OMN about Deelay Ceelay’s complex creative process, love for touring, and… Larson even revealed the identity of the TBA surprise guest for next Friday’s (January 15th) free gig at Berbati’s.
Based on the phonetics of your names, I think I can guess where the name came from, but I’d rather hear it in your words.
You got it. It was the first thing we came up with and was the most honest. We also liked the symmetry of it (when said or read on a page) and how that referenced the symmetry that you actually see on stage.
Deelay Ceelay is a sensory performance. Music and video majestically combined with ambient flows and psychedelic properties. Describe your art form. What do you call it?
I’m not sure we’ve ever considered an official name for the experience of our live show. That said, we’ve always tried to make the live experience as immersive and unique as is possible–trying to take the audience members away from their traditional experience of experience live music. This can be easier said than done in your typical club environment when you have a quick 15 minutes to set up and get playing.
Earlier in 2009 we did a more involved installation/performance for the opening night of the PDX Film Festival, which involved us being enclosed within four oversized projection screen. The audience/viewers would, in that setting, then be surrounded by projected imagery. For the video components–which are not music videos in the traditional sense–we’ve taken to calling these “kinetic abstractions” or “photo animations” (since there’s technically no video involved–they are all composed of large still image sequences blended together by hand).
How many steps are there to creating Deelay Ceelay music? Do you create your soundscapes and then add the landscape? Or vice versa?
In short, there are many. The music always comes first and our writing is very process based. Sketches are recorded, refined, reworked, re-recorded, and then repeated until everything is how we want it. To that point, a song is never cut in stone, rather always changing, evolving as we play it live. Much of the soundscapes are from field recordings mixed with found sound fragments, samples from old films, open source scientific sound banks.
Is that astronaut crackle on “Speak Eagle”?
Yes, from Apollo 13 (the mission, not the movie).
Drums are the backbone, but there’s some electronics. What other instruments/equipment are used in your recorded material?
Coming from a history of more traditional rock instrumentation, most of our material is born from the guitar/bass/piano/drums and then re-sculpted into something with a unique sonic signature. Every song is different though and we are constantly experimenting with writing approaches/ideas and always on the search for other instruments/sound banks/techniques that fit what we’re imagining for a particular song.
Say I just downloaded your EP Thank You (for free) or heard Deelay Ceelay on MySpace, how would you describe just your sound?
The Thank You EP is a condensed, relatively toned down reflection of our sound. The EP was written and recorded before we had ever performed live and thus only somewhat reflects the energy/intensity of what we do on stage. Having done a good deal of performing over this last year, our new material (currently working on our forth-coming full length) will be much more reflective of us as a band and not as a recording project.
Now let’s say I’m going to see you live. How’s this gonna be different?
The live show is a much more bombastic remix of the album material plus an ever-rotating string of remixes–taking cues from more traditional DJ culture with an emphasis on never letting the beat stop. This, again, feedback into the whole concept of creating something immersive. Once the performance starts, it doesn’t relent.
How do you translate your recorded material (video and audio) to the live performance and experience?
The recorded material is in more of an album format while the live versions are extended and continually being reworked so that the live show remains and more organic and is always a growing entity. The video is created solely for the live environment, as a way to augment to the rhythms, melodies and soundscapes of the live performance. That said, the video component does also get reworked/remixed along the way.
Does your performance allow for any live experimentation and improvisation or is it a predetermined routine based on prerecorded tracks and videos?
It does allow for a good deal of improvisation or experimentation. In addition to reworking the audio (as mentioned above), we’re both constantly reinventing our parts, again with the idea of making the live show really have life. Occasionally, this will reflect setting. If we’re playing in a less formal party/warehouse scenario where nothing is being mic’d, I might choose to remove some of the nuance from some parts in favor of a more straight ahead, driving, alternative. Whereas, if we know that we are in a room with a top sound person and solid acoustics, then we know that all the detail of our playing will come through the system and will adjust our playing accordingly.
With each show, we’re constantly tuned into how the dynamic flows and sensitive to any parts that we feel could work better. Always experimenting with new ideas. I think the songs really come to life when you know your parts so well that you can forget them and free up the rhythmic exploration a bit more. There is also a great deal of attention paid to the fact that there are two of us on drum kits and the potential for cacophony is very high. We thus make sure that we’re never stepping on each other. If one of us is launching into a more involved pattern, the other will drop back a bit to make sure that there’s room. Along this same line, we are very conscientious to not fall into any of the easy stylistic traps (e.g. sounding too marching band-y or too tribal/jammy) that can accompany having multiple percussionists.
How’d the band form?
The band formed because we had two drum kits on the practice space of our old band. Being the most punctual members of said band, we’d often drum together before practice. Somewhere along the way, this pre-jamming became more enjoyable than the actual music we were making in said band and we decided to follow the fun.
Along with this was a love for dance music and a belief that dance music could be much more performative/engaging in the live setting. It always seemed that there was something lacking with watching someone on stage bobbing their head behind a laptop screen.
Who are you guys? What are your day jobs?
I work as a graphic designer. Been in an out of bands since high school but have only more recently began to take music making more seriously. Studied photography at school and then somewhere along the way got into making video stuff and animation.
What other projects are you involved in?
I also make experimental videos/animations on my own.
I love your online style. Tell me who designed your website and took your photos. Any collaborators besides you two?
I designed our website and we’ve taken all of our own photos. We collaborated with a few choreographer friends (most notably Noelle Stiles) for our video pieces as well as clothing designer Rachelle Waldie who has designed/created some of the apparel work in our videos and on-stage.
Your press sheet last listed the Sunset Drumsets LP as in production but that didn’t come out in 2009… or did I miss something?
Oops, need to update that. Our LP is still in the works. 2009 got a lot busier than expected and we ended up not having enough time to work on it. We’re planning on taking a break from so many live engagements to focus on getting our album done as soon as possible.
Will the album include a visual component/DVD?
That’s still TBD. Our EP included a DVD and we’re not sure if we’ll go down that road again.
Do you make dance music?
We’ve made it a point to not try to place a tag or category on what we do. We certainly have some danceable songs but, more than anything else, we want to have an emotional connection through our music.
Do people dance?
More often than not.
What’s your favorite place to play around town?
There are many great places. Holocene, The Artistery, Rotture, Doug Fir, Berbati’s.
Where does your sound come from?
It’s really hard to say where our sound comes from. I suppose, like anyone else, we’re somewhat defined by our limitations. I’m sure the fact that we perform/compose on two drum kits has a pretty big influence on our sound. We both listen to so much music and our sources of influence are constantly growing and changing so it would be really difficult to name any specific “whos”. Unconsciously, we both act as curators/producers of our own sound in that we both have to really love everything about a potential song for us to keep working on it for a recording and continue playing live. So, in that way, we’re both acting as creative filters that ultimately shape our sound.
What are you listening to right now?
There are so many–it changes from day-to-day. For myself, been listening to a lot of Beach House, Animal Collective, Washed Out, Wampire, Starfucker, Sharon Van Etten, Yeasayer to name a few. I think the Portland band Nice Nice are one of the most underrated bands in town. The two new tracks from their tour 7″ slay. Can’t wait to finally get to her their album. Really looking forward to the new Pyramiddd/Starfucker album.
This past fall you packed around the USA with Starfucker / PYRAMIDDD. How was it?
It was fantastic. If, a year ago when we started off, you had told me that we’d have the chance to tour around the US with one of my favorite Portland bands I would have never believed you. And then it happened! It was a really great experience for us and gave us some really good perspective on what it is we’re doing. We weren’t sure if touring was something that we wanted to do with this project (having toured in the past with previous bands) but, after this trip, we came back really wanting to do it more often.
Where can we see you? I know you’ve got a benefit coming up at Berbati’s with a super special guest… can you divulge any details?
We’re playing at Berbati’s which will be awesome because it’s a free show and then in February (the 15th) at the Doug Fir with Dat’r, who are fantastic. The secret guest for the Berbati’s show will be Weinland who I’ve never seen live but I’ve heard many good things.
What are your future plans?
As mentioned, we’re doing our best to taper off with playing out so much to focus on getting our album done as soon as we can. That’s really the big push. After that who knows… hopefully more opportunities to play great shows with great bands and, with any luck, head out on the road some more.
Here’s an end of year list that gives. Stereogum shares their 50 Most Downloaded MP3’s of 2009 including Radiohead, Phoenix, Florence And The Machine, The Thermals, St. Vincent, Animal Collective, The Decemberists, and so many more staples and newcomers of 2009.
Everyone and their mother is counting down to 2010. There are some real goodies and some total duds, but here’s a plethora of top whatever lists. I’m seeing lots of The Strokes and Radiohead here… that makes a boy smile.
10. Radiohead – ‘In Rainbows’
9. The Streets – ‘Original Pirate Material’
8. Interpol – ‘Turn On The Bright Lights’
7. Arcade Fire – ‘Funeral’
6. PJ Harvey – ‘Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea’
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Fever To Tell’
4. Arctic Monkeys – ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’
3. Primal Scream – ‘XTRMNTR’
2. The Libertines – ‘Up The Bracket’
1. The Strokes – ‘Is This It’
10. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
9. Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker
8. Bob Dylan – Modern Times
7. Arcade Fire – Funeral
6. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
5. The Strokes – Is This It?
4. Brian Wilson – Smile
3. Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
2. Bob Dylan – Love & Theft
1. The White Stripes – White Blood Cells
10 The Avalanches – Since I Left You [2000]
09 Panda Bear – Person Pitch [2007]
08 Sigur Rós – Ágætis Byrjun [2000]
07 The Strokes – Is This It [2001]
06 Modest Mouse – The Moon & Antarctica [2000]
05 Jay-Z – The Blueprint [2001]
04 Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot [2002]
03 Daft Punk – Discovery [2001]
02 Arcade Fire – Funeral [2004]
01 Radiohead – Kid A [2000]
Noah Lennox, better known as Panda Bear and one-fourth of Baltimore-based band Animal Collective, announced in an interview with Pedestrian.tv yesterday that he is knee-deep in recording for his next solo release.
The only concrete detail that Panda Bear gave away is that his next album will be very different from 2007’s Person Pitch, which provided the listener with a sonic layering of samples covered in reverb-heavy, yet disarmingly sincere vocals.
Panda Bear says that Animal Collective plan on moving away from the sample-based style that has been a staple in recent years and that his solo record will also reflect that change.
He discusses the major differences between his upcoming record and Person Pitch in this excerpt:
Ped. Tv: How’s that sounding? I know that you’ve mentioned being tired of the sample based stuff and the need to change your song writing process and sound by incorporating different instruments…
Panda Bear: Yeah, it’s going pretty good. It’s been a long process. I’ve thought about it for a long time while we were doing the Merriweather stuff, so I had a long gestation process in my mind but only really started cracking on it in September. It’s kind of scary doing something totally different, like I’ve been working in a sampler zone for five or six years now. It definitely feels like a new zone, its scary but also exciting as well.
I guess it’s liberating because you’re forced to approach it differently, what sort of sounds and instruments are you exploring?
The rhythms are really basic and kind of raw and simple and are electronic. It’s not live instrumentation, I’ve been playing guitar but I feed it through the same thing that the sequences are on. It’s a very electronic sound and very voice heavy. A simple arrangement of drums, the guitar and singing. Really there are only two or three elements to every song. It’s pretty raw sounding for better for worse.
What do you see as the main difference between what you’re writing now and Person Pitch?
The tone is a lot darker and it sounds sort of dramatic or romantic to me. But I’m in still in the thick of the thing so it’s really tough to be objective at this point. So I have no idea, but hopefully people like it. I hope its good.
With any luck we can hope to hear the new album sometime in 2010. The only constant with anything Animal Collective related is change, and they have yet to steer their listeners wrong. Until then, keep an eye out for Animal Collective’s upcoming EP, Fall Be Kind, set to be released December 8, 2009 on Domino.
Bradford Cox needed a second home. A place where he could spread his lanky frame and spacious mind.
Atlas Sound is that home. A place where Cox can express, explore, examine, and make sense of all the white noise swirling in his head. Somewhere outside of his role as Deerhunter’s front man. And he brings Portland home for the night on Sunday at the Doug Fir.
He’s found a magnificently eclectic space replete with old hockey trophies, pop art prints, dusty cassettes, greedy stuffed squirrels, and last year’s Halloween candy (which I recommend you download).
“It’s just that I have ideas that I can’t make work with a five piece rock band… there’s kind of this palette of sounds that I use that I don’t necessarily get to use with Deerhunter,” Cox said.
And solo he’s constructed an indie-electro mishmash of beautiful sounds ranging from layered and electrified to simply folky. Toe-tapping instrumentals to hipster-anthems like this summer’s “Walkabout” with a little help on the vocals from Animal Collective’s Noah Lennox/Panda Bear.
Just announced: Bradford Cox’s experimental, solo (but with backing band) side-project Atlas Sound will be playing Holocene on Tuesday, February 16th along with best friend Adam Forkner, aka the electro-ambient White Rainbow.
All Tomorrow’s Parties is a song by The Velvet Underground, a novel, and an English music festival.
I love your 
Here’s an end of year list that gives. Stereogum shares their 
Everyone and their mother is counting down to 2010. There are some real goodies and some total duds, but here’s a plethora of top whatever lists. I’m seeing lots of The Strokes and Radiohead here… that makes a boy smile.
10 The Avalanches – Since I Left You [2000]
Noah Lennox, better known as 
Bradford Cox needed a second home. A place where he could spread his lanky frame and spacious mind.
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