Robots in the Garden…

 

This blog was nonexistent in 2004. What was on my radar was Future Perfect, a riff heavy, distorted noise-pop masterpiece. So infused with noisy melody and digestible cacophony that nine years later, it’s still played regularly. Autolux, a formidable trio creating walls and walls of decimating eardrum sound while simultaneously melting your face. “Robots In the Garden”, a 125 second whirlwind of chugging bass, slow and deliberately faint vocals, rhythmic precision, and a rusty reverberated grind, one that warrants only one thing: dialed to an ear-deafening volume. I never said I was a good neighbor…

Is the early 00s my new 90s?

I hope when you become under the influence you want to blast music. Like neighbors knocking on your walls and door loud. But to you, it’s not an obnoxious level; it’s one that’s just right for your level of intoxication. I may or may not have recently experienced this — perhaps it’s taking place as I type. Regardless, as fun as it’s to play DJ for friends at a party, during a road trip, or when setting the tone to get down, sometimes playing BLAST for yourself is the best. Shit, like you have anyone to second guess you, or hell if you’re concerned if others are questioning your aural credibility — you are killin’ it right now.

Staying ahead of the music game is perhaps a skill; or maybe it’s just about who has more time on their hands. So as I bounced around, trying to keep the momentum going, and channeling my best 2 Many DJs persona, I pulled from an era that allotted me more time than perhaps ever: Final year of school — one where music seemed to be my only true concern. What the hell was so special about 2003 and 2004? Check the mix…

All these tracks hit my ears during these two years. Realize that some tracks appeared before what full length they ended up on…

Autolux’s Joy Factory…

Building up anticipation is a good thing. There is a reason the headlining act takes that additional 15 minutes to grace the stage. When they do, finally, all that buildup impatiently waiting around, becomes for something. Never do I condone it – but the wait is almost always worth it.

Here I am discussing minutes, where some bands think in other units – like years. Autolux, the treacherous trio armed with a wall of dirty, fuzzy sound capable of erupting, have yet to follow up their debut Future Perfect. Sure, Autolux, continue to wait behind the curtain and keep us salivating. If they do unleash their sophomore LP, and I am holding my breath, 2010 will solidify itself as one hell of a strong year.

So we don’t forget, and I won’t after previous gigs, they are baiting us along with the rumored to be 2010 release of Transit Transit. The latest news:

TRANSIT TRANSIT is going to be released on the following record labels:

U.S. & JAPAN —- tbd records (yes that is actually the name of the label) = tbdrecords.com
U.K. & THE REST —- ATP Recordings = atpfestival.com/recordings
RECORD RELEASE DATE —- (YOU DON’T ACTUALLY THINK WE’D HAVE THAT YET, DO YOU??)

but we do have this:

Transit Transit tracklist:

1. Transit Transit
2. Census
3. Highchair
4. Supertoys
5. Spots
6. The Bouncing Wall
7. Audience No. 2
8. Kissproof
9. Headless Sky
10. The Science Of Imaginary Solutions

UNKLE, the London-based act not scared to experiment with all moods, has enlisted Autolux – again – for Joy Factory, a spacey and tripnotic, slow moving dance number.

UNKLE featuring Autolux :: Joy Factory

When Predicability Becomes a Good Thing…

Change in music is a good thing. No one wants to become or known as predictable. But when witnessing a live act – one as fuzz-infused and captivating as Autolux – I expect to know what’s around the corner, or in other words: what type of chaotic fury the Los Angeles trio will leave us with. After four years’ time, Autolux finally ventured into my area; they unleashed songs, new to me, that await us in the first quarter of 2010. Yes, six years post Future Perfect. And like many times before, to leave us aghast into the night, the trio, with their sonic weapons unleashed a dynamic, hazy, freak-out that only Autolux are capable of composing and laying down flawlessly. Every time. To close out the set. Synchronized precision is their specialty…

Autolux :: Reappearing (Live)

Autolux – Set Your (i)Calendars…

From Autolux’s MySpace:

Tickets are now on sale for all east coast shows. For tickets, go here:

http://www.autolux.net/autolux_shows.htm

Also, the band will be touring across the country and back after they play San Francisco’s

Outside Lands Festival on August 28. Locations and dates will be announced soon but the

following cities are being confirmed now:

Portland

Seattle

Chicago

Minneapolis

Madison, WI

Chicago

Pittsburgh

Omaha

Denver

As I’m scanning the list, I’m not seeing Denver. Low and behold, there she is. A flight back to Chicago for this? Most likely.

Featuring the treacherous three – enjoy “Persons & Machinery” from Unkle’s War Stories…

Unkle :: Persons & Machinery (featuring Autolux)

Autolux-Signs of life

Taken from NewAngelesMonthly.com: The far-off sounds of Autolux are deliberate and visceral, grindingly ambient and spaced-out sexy. Like the fuzzy buzzing of a post-industrial dream, the richly layered sonic atmospheres offer a stylish incandescence — a flickering and moody coolness replete with shadowy, magnetic melodies and an edgy din. However, it is their not-too-far-off love affair with the pop-song paradigm and their nimble blending of genres that makes accessible what might otherwise be a strictly dissonant groove. 

One of my favorite bands of late ’04 and definitely my ’05 live band was LA’s Autolux. It has now been about three years since their debut ‘Future Perfect’ and there seems to be hope for their yet to be released sophomore record, which to this day is still without a home. Scope these two links below for a random 30 minute interview and then a short, yet somewhat informative session.

New Angeles

Fashion Beaver