Listen: Buke and Gase - "Seam Esteem"

The best thing about the now Hudson, NY based experimental duo Buke and Gase is that they arrived more or less with a fully formed signature sound and a predilection for surpassing even your most wildest of expectations. In a way that's only real descriptor that sticks as the riotous twosome manage to elude and evade absolutely everything even vaguely resembling a genre classification. Earlier this year when Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez decided to post snippets of their upcoming third album in its earliest stages, it was a rare look into the band's creative process that still managed to be completely nonrevealing as to what the album would sound like. Not due to any subterfuge but the fact that Buke and Gase so frequently scrap or warp ideas or employ their improvisations and experimentations in a variety of different ways that you were never quite sure if what you heard then would sound anything like the end product.

"Seam Esteem" is however a proper glimpse at the yet to be titled/detailed third album. On it, Buke and Gase have seemed to settled into comfortable groove - with a direct line of growth evident from last year's General Dome. It continues in their established vein of cacophonous, multi-layered pop-oriented songs while still populating its own universe in terms of style and substance. It's surprisingly straight forward, a firmly established boom-clap beat underscoring the real variant which is Dyer's vocals which undergoes a number of microtransformations throughout. Her unaffected howl making its way towards an ironic computerized detachment as she sings "It feels so for real" in the track's chorus. The twosomes trademark buke and gase made their appearance but more or texture than any real spotlighting.



There's no official word of the third album yet but considering their going on a tour in the Fall, news of the album should be hopefully be revealed soon.

Buke & Gase - General Dome (2013)

It's hard to imagine Brooklyn experimental pop duo Buke & Gase actually attempting to do an "experimental" record but that's what they claimed the Function Falls EP was. Born from their cover of New Order's "Blue Monday", Function Falls explored the duo's songwriting process in a way rather unexpected for the band: relying mostly in part on their own creative improvisations with occasional alterations made by computer. Though it was created after they began work on the new full length, Function Falls points a bit toward what we got in General Dome.

Truth be told, General Dome is like Riposte in a lot of ways. Featuring it's fair-share of short musical interludes and mucking about lyrically in psychology. General Dome psychological themes just happen to be a lot of more insistent, more unsettled than Riposte's. Not surprising considering the sophomore record dwells in darker, less stable debts. Yet that unnerving sense of unease becomes thrilling in the able hands of the duo.

Though they tread in a similar but not congruent territory to Riposte and though they've majorly upgraded their many homemade inventions - including the Buke and Gase in which they derive their names, the real star of the new album is the vocals. On General Dome, Aron Sanchez slips slightly more into spotlight as he trades verse on "In the Company of Fish" and contributes occasional harmonies elsewhere.

But of course, Arone Dwyer's fully on display vocals are what give the songs the majority of their power. Their instruments help establish a mood, sure, but it's through Dwyer's ability to effortless glide from a whisper to a shriek that imbues General Dome with its sense of tension. Yes, even at their most cacophonous, their most rambunctious, the instruments (buke, gase, bass drums, tambourines, etc.) are all rather secondary to the pure versatility of Dwyer's voice. The lyrics might not always be clear but whether or not you can make them out, but Dwyer's vocals still manage to carry them.

So while Buke & Gase might've set out to truly experiment on the Function Falls EP, General Dome manages to remain a highly memorable, intriguingly complex thrill-ride that contains all the quirk the band is known for. The vocals are occasionally affected but the melodies strongly catching and ever clear. General Dome's similarity to Riposte ends up just being that of an incredibly fluid, cohesive album with unique, interesting narratives. The duo have obviously grown and while there are a few directly noticeable changes, there are more subtle factors at play that elevate General Dome above the sophomore slump, over just an okay album, and right onto the shelf of unbelievably incredible records right alongside its predecessor.      

Hear a couple tracks from General Dome here:

Listen: Buke & Gase - "General Dome"

The gifts just seem to keep on coming: After the release of new track "Hiccup" on the most recent Brassland compilation, Function Falls EP, and Sandy Benefit endeavors including the sale of the album's first real single "Hard Times", the experimental duo Buke & Gase is giving us an additional peek at their upcoming album General Dome. And it's a doozy.

The title crack bristles and crackles with a frenetic energy, while what can only be described as Buke & Gase's trademark clatter occurs just slightly out of focus. It's a full minute and a half before Arone Dyer's vocals enter and they're hardly the sweet coo you'd expect. Darker, somewhat hushed but alarmingly insistent. "General Dome" is a rallying cry, much like "Misshaping Introduction" only with the stakes raised higher. The message received right before something important's about to go down or the sender disappears forever. A track bursting at the seams with a dramatic sense of urgency, it's just the sort of thing to get you properly fiending for more.

Listen to Buke & Gase's "General Dome":

  

 Buke & Gase's sophomore album General Dome is due out January 29th on Brassland.

Listen: Buke & Gase - "Hard Times"/"Blue Monday" for Hurricane Sandy Relief

You know what's better than a new a single? A new single released not for the benefit of the artist but to help others. Tons of artists have done it and Buke & Gase latest philanthropic efforts puts them in good company. In order to raise money for Hurricane Sandy relief after massive damages was wreaked upon Brooklyn, Long Island, and New Jersey, the Brooklyn duo are releasing a single from their upcoming album General Dome with their cover of New Order's "Blue Monday" to directly benefit those effected by the Hurricane in Red Hook, Brooklyn. So if you're fans of the band or even if you want to help out but can't get out to volunteer, throw a couple bones at Buke & Gase. It's great music AND a great cause.

To read more about the RHI Center and/or donate directly go here.

The latest track from the Brooklyn duo "Hard Times" continues in the somewhat more straightforward songwriting and delivery of Riposte and less in the more experimental vein of the Function Falls EP. Which is in itself a rather strange thing to associate with Buke & Gase; straightforwardness and normality aren't really words anyone would use to describe what the duo does but the new track is "normal" for the twosome. The tracks rolls on with a rather heavy, repetitive riff that's sure to be stuff in your head for hours while Arone Dyer's simpering vocals flitter about, occasionally joining forces with the accompaniment.

As far as songwriting is concerned, the track might be the duo's most poppy number to date. Yet still rather unconventional in the sense that it's the DIY experimentalists take on pop. There's more in line with classical composition actually. Melodies transition quickly from the Dyer's vocals into the accompaniment and kind of snowball into this absolutely fearless juggernaut. Thoughts are birthed and combined with other thoughts and yet, each of Buke & Gase's parts are clearly in focus. There's a bit of a busy fizz but it's not quite as overwhelming as you'd expect.
 

Watch: Buke & Gase - "Misshaping Introduction"

If you're at all familiar with Brooklyn experimental pop duo Buke & Gase than you know this: 1) They have a penchant for frakensteining together all of their gear from pre-existing gear/instruments. 2) Their music often follows suit, stitched together tenderly but with enough of the seams showing to make you wonder how in the world the two created such a beast. Well, Buke & Gase have taken their same concept of music-making into their own video production.

Their latest (and if I'm not mistaken debut) music video for "Misshaping Introduction", the lead track off their digital only Function Falls EP, takes footage of the duo and continuously splices and dices them before jimmying them together proudly. The result is a somewhat twitchy  and almost always out of focus video of the duo in their homes that strangely enough perfectly fits the start-stop machinations of "Misshaping Introduction".



You can now stream Buke & Gase's Function Falls EP over at Wired here.

Buke & Gase's Function Falls EP is out tomorrow September 11th via Brassland/their bandcamp.

Buke and Gase - "Misshaping Introduction"

 

Earlier this week, Brooklyn's Buke and Gase surprised everyone with a completely unannounced new track by the name of "Hiccup" and it seems that they're not done just yet. Today, the duo announced the release of their brand new Function Falls EP. The four song EP won't be out until September 11th but for those of you like me aching for new Buke and Gase, you're in luck. In addition to pre-ordering the new EP, you can also stream and download the first track "Misshaping Introduction".

 

And if the release of a brand new EP wasn't enough to get you excited enough to vomit, Buke and Gase's label Brasslands let slip that the band's follow up sophomore full length will be out early next year. So far the only real reason to be excited for 2013.

So make sure you preorder Buke and Gase's digital only Function Falls EP, it'll be the best decision you'll have made all month.

Buke & Gase - "Hiccup"

Well it's certain been awhile since we've heard from Brooklyn experimental instrument-makers Buke & Gase. Since the release of 2010's Riposte, the group has undergone a couple changes - most notable the name change from Buke & Gass to Buke & Gase. Not a significant change but that one letter is all you need to properly pronounce their name. While the duo have been touring (playing Crossing Brooklyn Ferry earlier this year), this week we finally get officially released new music from them. In the form of "Hiccup", off a free compilation you can download here.

 

Their first release in nearly two years, "Hiccup" both invokes the Buke & Gase you used to love while also hinting at new ideas. I mean just listening to the track there's a more polished sheen you didn't get on their album. Other than that, Buke & Gase still remain innovative purveyors of noisy pop. "Hiccup" is full but not chaotic or cluttered, it's catchy but smartly so. It's great and I certainly hope there's more to come from Buke & Gass otherwise this is just a special kind of torture.

Buke and Gass - Riposte (2010)

 

Before listening to Buke and Gass' debut album Riposte, someone needs to warn you how incredibly catchy it is. If you don't want their songs stuck in your heard for days let alone weeks, you probably shouldn't listen to it. But if you're able to make peace with that then you're in for an interesting experience. The Brooklyn duo certainly don't hold back, with frantically paced album opener "Medulla Oblongata", it's the listener's introduction to the homemade instruments, crash-bang foot percussion, stratospheric vocals, and jumbled but strangely sensible lyrics that are used thorough the whole album. "Medicina" with its deceptive slow start tricks you into thinking that the album will wind down before launching into a frenetic rock groove. Riposte is a splendid introduction to a band that's doing something new and inventive. It's not everyday a band crafts it's own instruments, let alone plays them to such a startlingly catchy degree. Each song on Riposte is memorable and infectious, energetic and bold in its delivery. Their somewhat disjointed style works well for them, like someone so excited they have difficult getting their thoughts out fully. And yet, Buke and Gass with it's genre-defying minimalism no doubt has its ideas fully formed to be able to switch between them so effortless. Riposte is definitely a must have, unrivaled in its flair, that's sure to become a much-listened-to favorite.

Pitstop: Buke & Gass

photo by Grant Cornett

 Normally I ignore when Amazon recommends something to me (Sorry, Amazon). Not anymore. For countless weeks, Amazon recommended Buke & Gass to me because I bought music from Ivan & Alyosha, The Heligoats, Maps & Atlases, First Aid Kit, GOASST, Surfer Blood, Midlake, and GAYNGS. I'm not exactly sure how any of these are linked to Buke & Gass aside from being equally as awesome. Which leads me to explaining who exactly Buke & Gass are. Buke & Gass are a Brooklyn based duo who create oddly catchy minimalistic songs on homemade instruments: the buke - a modified six string baritone ukulele and the gass - a guitar/bass hybrid peppered with some foot percussion and lilting vocals provided by Arone Dyer. It sounds kind of new age-y and gimmicky until you actually hear their songs. Then you realize that this band isn't just your run of the mill New York area experimentalists. As if there music wasn't awesome enough, the duo are also involved with The Blue Man Group. Aron Sanchez builds instruments for the Blue Man Group and Dyer sang on "What Is Rock" on The Complex. Suddenly everything makes sense. Get a taste of Buke & Gass with this video for "Page Break" off their debut album Riposte released last fall.

 

If you like what you hear, you can check out more of their tunes on their MySpace, their Bandcamp, or buy their album wherever you prefer to buy your music.