Gang Of Four, Destroyer, and Junior Boys join the pack

Gang of Four

Seeing that we’ve hosted The Fall and Wire, we might as well uphold the tradition by featuring a band that, according to Kurt Cobain, Nirvana was created to copy. If it weren’t for them, the Red Hot Chili Peppers would be playing glam metal, and the recent resurgence of post-punk might never have happened. Gang of Four were founded in Leeds in 1977, bringing the world a completely new mix of punk rock, funk, and dub, combined with politically and socially-themed lyrics. “Rolling Stone” magazine described them as “probably the best politically motivated band in rock & roll.” Gang of Four are enjoying renewed popularity thanks to their excellent concerts and their critically-acclaimed 2011 release Content. “Telegraph” called it “their best record since the Seventies.”

 

Junior Boys

This Canadian duo effortlessly combines the reserved elegance of synth-pop with the unruliness of British garage, while injecting a hip-hop groove into trance techno. These “Resident Advisor” favorites may top American dance charts, but their audience includes fans of guitar-driven alternative rock as well. Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus haven’t come out with a record since 2009’s Begone Dull Care, but their new material is ready and is expected to be released by summer.

 

Destroyer

Daniel Bejar is one of the best-kept secrets on Canada’s indie scene. He debuted in 1996 with the home-recorded album We’ll Build Them a Golden Bridge, and has since surprised audiences with his intriguing and highly personal releases. Until recently, Bejar was better known for his work with The New Pornographers, but his ninth solo record, Kaputt, took Destroyer’s career in a whole new direction. The album is currently one of the most talked-about and highest-rated records of the year. While others like to compare him to the likes of David Bowie, he prefers to think of himself as a successor to Pavement, and describes his music as European blues, although he hardly ever tours in Europe. All the more reason to catch up with Destroyer at the OFF Festival.

 

Liturgy

Black metal, one of the most resilient and avant-garde rock genres, has thus far made its only appearance at the OFF Festival in the guise of Shining, a band that inextricably combines this dark musical art with jazz-rock. This year, the New York group Liturgy will present an uncompromising, American take on black metal in its purest form. Furiously fast and brutal, their work is at once inspired by contemporary music and ambient. If you have the guts, listen to the band’s 2009 album, Renihilation, for a taste of things to come.

 

Barn Owl

Psychedelics, infrasound, and drone: it might not be the apocalypse, but it’s not your dad’s rock and roll either. The San Francisco-based group Barn Owl follow closely in the footsteps of Earth and Sunn O))), although they themselves admit to finding inspiration in the work of John Coltrane. Their third album, Ancestral Star, released on Thrill Jockey Records in fall 2010, is a fascinating journey beyond the boundaries of music and human perception. Listen to the album that “Drowned in Sound” calls “a record that many could admire, but few could truly love,” but don’t expect a note-for-note rendition on stage — Barn Owl gigs consist mostly of improvisation. The direction their show takes depends on you, as well.

 

Czesław Śpiewa Tesco Value

OFF Festival audiences have already heard Czesław Mozil sing — both with his own project and as a guest vocalist alongside Efterklang. He returns this year to remind us that there’s more to him than just his solo work. Tesco Value was Mozil’s band back in his Copenhagen days, before the artist became a success in Poland and moved here for good. The group’s music is a bit more alternative and challenging than the work of Czesław Śpiewa. Come and find out for yourselves.

 

Abradab plays Kaliber 44

One of Poland’s best rappers pays homage to the dearly-missed group Kaliber 44, of which he was a co-founder. The Silesian band’s 1996 debut, Księga Tajemnicza: Prolog, isn’t just one of the best hip-hop albums ever released in Poland — it’s a record that changed the face of hip-hop in the country and had a lasting effect on popular music in general. Kaliber 44 followed through with W 62 minuty dookoła świata two years later, and released their final album 3:44 in 2000. The rest, as they say, is history. For one night, Abradab and his group will bring the music back to life for OFF Festival audiences.