This space-worthy Santiago, Chile, trio makes a convincing case for trashing your earbuds and investing in quality headphones. Four songs clocking in at nine minutes or more, Föllakzoid’s III unfolds subtly and gradually to steady, hypnotic rhythms inspired by their Andean forebears. More recent eras of inspiration include late-Sixties West Germany and mid-Nineties Chicago. “Electric” builds on mechanical guitar clicking against a full-bodied bassline that thumps like a highly stylized cinematic street scene. The tension is finally resolved with a blasting riff that sets the controls for epic transcendence. German electro-Latino ace Uwe Schmidt (Atom™, Señor Coconut) adds strategic synth parts with a Korg once used by Kraftwerk, bringing this compelling bank of atmospheric grooves full circle. (Sun., 9pm, Elevation Amphitheater)
This article appears in May 8 • 2015.
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Greg Beets was born in Lubbock on the day Richard Nixon was elected president. He has covered music for the Chronicle since 1992, writing about everyone from Roky Erickson to Yanni. Beets has also written for Billboard,Uncut, Blurt, Elmore, and Pop Culture Press. Before his digestive tract cried uncle, he co-published Hey! Hey! Buffet!, an award-winning fanzine about all-you-can-eat buffets.
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