Sound Tribe Sector 9

Sound Tribe Sector 9

Seasons 01 (Sacred Sound Ascension) Break out your $400 headphones: Sound Tribe Sector 9 is here to blow your mind. Utilizing the jammy philosophy of groups like Phish and the Dead, yet sounding absolutely nothing like those two ne plus ultra soporifics, STS9 (as their massive Internet following refers to them) instead combine jarring breakbeats with guitar/bass/keyboards (as well as a host of nontrad instruments) to create what can only be described as downtempo ambient chill-fluffery. There are times in this 2-CD outing that the lengthy groove borders on the dull -- the nearly 20-minute drum and bass jam "Ramone and Emiglio" could function as a sleep aid were it to go on any longer. But at their best -- "Satori," and the (sort of) Caribbean-inspired "Eclipse" -- the Georgia-based collective manages to bend weird polyrhythmic song structures and loping, endless snatches of melody into recognizable songs that are both laden with unsung emotion and danceable. It's easy to see how this would be really popular right around dawn on day five of the Burning Man festival, just as the previous night's debauchery is wearing off and the sun back-lights the still-standing Wickerman. Not bad, but not likely to end up touring with Sasha and Digweed anytime soon, either. (Saturday, Sept. 28, 6-7pm, Jam stage.)