I am almost certainly done with psychedelics for the rest of my life. I’m not sad, I’ve had my fun. But I’m a grown-ass man with grown-ass responsibilities. As for the trip-comedown-recovery arc, ain’t nobody got time for that shit anymore. So long as Joshua Rogers is around the scene getting weird, though, I’m good. His audio work with excellently eccentric music label Illuminated Paths, his visual art as Broken Machine Films and the transporting experiences that happen when those two halves unite in a room make for a very adequate substitute. Like channel surfing in a trove of scrambled transmissions, the shows he organizes conjure a strange fantasy dimension of outer-orbit music and warped analog visuals.
Almost needless to say considering his label’s roster, all artists that Rogers selects to showcase are interesting. But bringing hot new intrigue this time were Space Force, the latest misadventure by members of surrealist band Happy Valley, one of the best groups to ever come out of the Oddlando underground.
Their name is appropriate, being both from out of this world and only slightly more absurd than Trump’s military idea. This bass-and-drums duo of Evan Shafran and Darin Hughes fully inhabits its low-end creep with a heavy, primal groove that’s more rooted in noise than conventional metal.
After opening with about 10 minutes of rhythmic droning, the two finally began weaving in the kind of ritualistic glossolalia that sometimes tripped out Happy Valley’s songs. Even once their singing crystallized into actual words, though, their freak sludge funk never got any more normal.
Backed by producer Byson, Orlando experimental hip-hop group Ohtwo brought some jump to the party. This young act is a very now rap troupe that’s left-field and fresh. Although they’re still formative, they’re already coming with a package crackling with lots of built-in promise.
Ohtwo at Will’s Pub Credit: Bao Le-Huu
Ohtwo at Will’s Pub Credit: Bao Le-Huu
Ohtwo at Will’s Pub Credit: Bao Le-Huu
Ohtwo at Will’s Pub Credit: Bao Le-Huu
In his solo set opening for Ohtwo, Byson’s glitchy skip-hop again proved to be a dynamic thing that flows as much as it floats.
