Something Like Sound

Local experimental instrumental lo-fi group Woodsman released a new single out this week on the French digital-single-label Beko. The two-track download features “Manual Control” and “Chants.” While “Manual Control” is a shorter soundscape filled with ambient guitar and voices, “Chants” uses its 9 minute running time to build from a simple repetitious guitar riff (which sounds a bit like “Dikembe Mutombo” from their recent LP Collages) to a full thematic climax and denouement.

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Listen to Woodsman

Orbiteer

The Meadowlark, a quiet street-corner venue in lower downtown, appeared calm and cool from all outward appearances last Friday night. Inside the bar was a different story. Waves of sound pounded from amps and speakers as the space was filled to capacity. Those who had gathered in that cozy place found themselves carried away by the psychedelic sounds created by the Denver-local bands therein.

Woodsman

The night began to get interesting when Woodsman took the “stage” (which was mostly just a large swath of the floor). With two drummers providing the backbone for their style of ambient lo-fi, Woodsman added to the sound with two guitarists and a slew of effects. Building to crescendos and tearing everything down to its bones, Woodsman certainly showed that experimental music is much more than mere noise.

Fissure Mystic

Fissure Mystic, a group that has aligned itself with the local Hot Congress music collective, was up next. Their set was a nice change up from the spacey sounds of Woodsman and was slightly reminiscent of underground punk music from the early 90’s.

Tjutjuna

Tjutjuna (I know, just try to pronounce that name) closed out the night with one of the loudest sets of music I have ever been exposed to. Even with earplugs in, my ears were still ringing on the drive home. Their set was spacey and hard hitting. The bass from the speaker cabinets struck my chest as the other-worldly sounds of their Theremin player swirled around the room.

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