The ninth Decibel Festival, Seattle’s International Festival of Electronic Music Performance, Visual Art, and New Media, began overloading Seattle’s senses last night. The Fest runs until this Sunday, October 2. Tickets for individual events are on sale in advance and at the door: Check the links below for prices and venues.
Below are recommendations for the remainder of the Fest from SunBreak Contributor Donte Parks and Music Editor Tony Kay.
Donte:
Amon Tobin [Tonight @ The Red Bull Music Academy Presents Showcase, Paramount Theatre–SOLD OUT]
The premiere of Amon Tobin’s ISAM A/V setup at MUTEK this year was a mindblowing visual extravaganza, leaving audiences awed by the eye candy if not necessarily by the music. If you have the opportunity, this is definitely not one to miss. Now the bad news. It’s sold out. That said, there’s bound to be someone selling a ticket at the door. This is worth taking on that hassle.
Miracles Club [Friday @The Loft Revival, The Woods]
This Portland group isn’t yet a household name, but considering how much they’ve been performing in NYC lately they’re definitely on the rise. Poised to be the most fun at all of Decibel, this group plays house music with tables full of analog gear, a throwback to a rawer-sounding era. Come ready to dance.
Martyn [Friday @ Resident Advisor Presents The Blurring the Lines Showcase, Neumos]
A few years ago, Martyn became a Decibel highlight with his (short) set at the Church of Bass afterhours. Now he’s back to show off his new live set, and expectations are running high that he’ll be able to repeat his past glory. His newest material show he’s picking up right where he left off, eschewing strict genre categorization with his rhythmically interesting productions.
dOP [Sunday @ The Flammable Showcase, Re-Bar]
dOP’s tracks don’t give much indication of just how insane their live shows can be, leaving the audience laughing as much as dancing. Will there be nudity? Probably. Booze poured over the audience? Again, probably. Is the fact that this is happening at Flammable as the Decibel finale going to take this to absolutely ridiculous levels of fun? Definitely.
Tony:
Ladytron [Tonight @ Sinthetic Showcase, Showbox Market]
It’s odd to refer to Ladytron’s blend of detached femme vocals, icy keyboards, and Euro-chic songcraft as warm and fuzzy–but in the context of the Brave New World of modern electronic music, it is. This Liverpudlian quartet emphasizes the pop in synth-pop, and their frankly retro sound should fuel plenty of swoony swaying. If replicant versions of Ani and Agnetha from ABBA fronted Ultravox, it’d sound something like this.
Mountains/Simon Scott [Friday @ OPTICAL 1: Sine Your Name Across My Heart Showcase, Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall]
When My Bloody Valentine fired up their bongs and plugged in synthesizers along with their guitars twenty-plus years ago, they didn’t just influence guitar bands. The first installment of OPTICAL’s Decibel Fest presentations showcases three acts who marry MBV’s shoegazing sound with Ambient Electronica. Headliner Schnauss will likely provide a palatable bed of gently-shuffling dance atmospherics, but the highlights to these ears will be the two openers.
UK artist Simon Scott knows a thing or two about eddying currents of sound: He drummed for the late great shoegazer band slowdive in the ’90’s, and his solo material unearths pockets of haunted romance amongst Eno-esque textures.
Mountains, by contrast, present a deceptively minimal soundscape that has a way of building and metamorphosing unexpectedly. The Brooklyn-based duo’s live sets lean on organic sounds more heavily than most of Decibel’s acts, stretching and molding acoustic/analog instruments and field recordings like so much electronic taffy. The end result is as mesmerising as anything you’ll hear all Decibel Fest.
Oval [Saturday @ OPTICAL 2: Grains of Sound Showcase, Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall]
Oval (AKA Berlin musician Markus Popp) helped pioneer Glitch electronica. He’s a master of manipulating the sub-genre’s hallmark whirs and irregularities into playful soundscapes that somehow manage to soothe, unsettle, and induce booty-shaking at equal turns. This set marks the world premiere of his new music/AV show, and he seldom makes his way to the states, so expect one of Decibel’s undisputed treats herein.