Against the vampy backdrop of the Sayers Club, Red Bull Sound Select hosted yet another event showcasing LA’s local talent. This particular show featured dreamy indie four-piece Incan Abraham and post-disco duo De Lux.
By 9:30 PM, the intimate venue was filling up quite nicely around the small, blue-lit stage. Ten minutes later Incan Abraham kicked off their set and immediately led the audience into a series of tracks that blended electronic rhythm, tribal beats, and haunting harmonies. The bicoastal band has been compared to Grizzly Bear vocally with Teddy Cafaro (vocals/guitar) and Giuliano Pizzulo (vocals/keyboard) luring listeners into their textured soundscapes held together by Andrew Lessman on drums and Spencer Mandel on bass. Songs such as “Springhouse” and “Tuolumne” very clearly demonstrate that the quartet has psychedelic pop running through it’s veins and the crowd did indeed seem entranced by their performance. The band had a fluidity and a calm, self-assured stage presence that seemed to mirror the melodies of their music. Their set ran smoothly as they drifted from one song to another not speaking too much to the audience other than thanking Red Bull and at one point preparing the crowd for “slow jam time” right before playing the more melancholy beat “Tolerance.” “All You Want” carried an epic quality to it starting out strong on the drums and then sprawling the chorus “all you want is here.” The sound was somewhat more imposing than the others, in a good way. The more upbeat moments of their performance included the beachy “Whidbey” and what was arguably their poppiest piece “Concorde” on which they ended. Incan Abraham definitely strives to create a sound that is both exciting and hazy. Like recalling the sense of adventure we had in childhood, their music transports us to a place that is familiar, if just out of reach.
Up next was the groovy stylings of De Lux. Often compared to LCD Soundsystem and the Talking Heads, these musicians have undeniably been influenced by the late ’70s and early ’80s. Though the Sayers Club layout is not necessarily conducive to dancing, there was no stopping the audience from getting up and shaking it, especially not when fan-favorite “Sometimes Your Friends are not Your Friends” was played. The catchy, robotic piece received ample praise from the listeners. Lead vocals/guitarist Sean Guerin encouraged the crowd with a little hip-shaking of his own while Isaac Franco (backup vocals/bass) bobbed his head playfully making it clear that energy and celebration were to be the focus of this part of the evening. The post-punk pair, like Incan Abraham before them, addressed the audience very little preferring to play their music without much interruption. De Lux flew through their set of spacey, electronic sounds which included “Love is a Phase” as well as a few songs that seemed to have a slightly happier and softer beat, such as “It All Works All the Time.” Their performance was nothing if not upbeat and the band seems to have pinned down the exact sound and feel they wish to exude. They bring back all the funk and pop from a previous era while maintaining their own unique identity in the present.
All in all, the evening consisted of great live music featuring two extremely different, yet delightful bands. Both Incan Abraham and De Lux delivered confident performances and distinct styles leaving the audience satisfied and danced-out.
Set list for Incan Abraham
Springhouse
Tuolumne
Whidbey
In Milan
Tram
Tolerance
All You Want
Concorde
Set List for De Lux:
Bodacious
Sometimes Your Friends are not Your Friends
Love is a Phase
Better at Making Time
Someday Now
It All Works All the Time
Oh Man the Future
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