BEAR CLAWSlow Speed Deep Owls(Sickroom)
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As adventurous indie rockers venture in greater numbers into the world of programmed electronics, I’m sure we’ll see more bands like Future Rock. These three dudes make dance music that leans heavily on hip-hop breakbeats and a version of house that sounds like they picked it up from somebody who was influenced by somebody who was influenced by house—its icy brittleness has been worn away by all the hands it’s passed through, and the fuzzy production and warm analog synths make it sound almost intimate. It’s easy to remember that actual fingers pressed the buttons to make this stuff, and most of the rhythms could be duplicated without much trouble by human musicians. (They use mostly live instrumentation onstage, in fact.) In keeping with its indie feel, Gears relies on nuance and sonic detail, not bombastic anthems; I love how the pops and burbles on “God Nose” fade into Aphex Twin drum skitters, and “Die Junge Ein” sounds like acid house taking a Sunday afternoon off from frying brains to play video games and chill. Nothing on Gears would sound right at a big-time club, but its low-key funk could easily power a living-room dance party.
PLANEI See Love in the Future(self-released)
YEA BIG & KID STATICYea Big & Kid Static(Jib Door)
