On November 13th, the Sinclair opened to electronic duo Louis the Child for their second sold out Boston show. The college aged pair of DJs, Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennett, hail from Chicago and have been touring nationally for over a year now, performing at major festivals like Coachella, Electric Zoo Festival, and Lollapalooza. It’s hard to believe they rose to fame so rapidly within the EDM community at such a young age; but after hearing their unique sound one can understand the means to their success.

The show opened with a remix of Zella Day’s song, “Compass.” Although Hauldren and Kennett have built their career around remixes, their original work does not pale in comparison. Their song “It’s Strange,” featuring K. Flay, really put them on the EDM map. As any good remixer does, the duo take songs by established artists and add their own set of sounds and rhythms to make it better than it was originally. Their Sunday setlist included a remix of “Body Gold” by Oh Wonder, “Paris” by Magic Man, “Blase” by Ty Dolla $ign, and “Broken Record” by SoySauce. All of their songs contain a unique mixture of pulsing sounds, trap beats, and synths to create heart-skipping drops and intoxicating flow.

As for the actual performance, the two presented themselves like regular teenagers, sporting sports jerseys and t-shirts. They danced around on stage with a recklessness and enthusiasm that was quite impressive, considering they had two back-to-back shows that night. Seeing them up there, I realized that an unquestionable aspect of their appeal is the fact that I can relate to them. To their audience, who are largely college-aged youth, Hauldren and Kennett seem like kids you could’ve known in high school. I can’t help but wonder what’s in store for them next, given their young age and their appearance to be at a pivotal point in their career where they can continue being at the forefront of an ever-evolving EDM industry, fail to do so, or possibly decide to go back to school. Kennett is just out of high school and Hauldren is enrolled in USC, but on leave – it seems that these guys have put their entire youth on hold to share their soundstyle and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.

Louis the Child @ The Sinclair


October 26th, 2016 at Out of the Blue Art Gallery

As soon as the doors of Out of the Blue Art Gallery opened on a frigid Wednesday night, one indie pop and two folk bands piled in with their equipment as the venue staff struggled, trying to get the heater to work. The quirky gallery was covered wall to wall in knick knacks, paintings, and old books, making for quite an interesting locale. With an optional donation for entry, the bands were clearly there to play their music and enjoy themselves, and as soon as the heater came back on, that’s what they did.

 performed first, in all their classic folk band glory. John Garrett, his wife, Jessica Desilva, and Bruce Scott appeared on stage with nothing other than a guitar and a lapsteel. Scott’s twangy 1948 lapsteel, hooked up to a pedalboard, created a dreamy atmosphere. Desilva’s cowboy boots served as the only element of percussion during the performance; her left heel was decorated with bells and the right with cymbals. Garrett, serving as the guitarist, added color with the occasional maraca and harmonica. So Sol’s simplistic charm was only emphasized by their dog Duke, who sported a bandana and napped lazily near Garrett’s feet. They played songs off their 2015 album 

 as well as other unreleased singles. The band draws influence from an intercultural fusion of Latin American and folk styles, definitely making for a distinguishable sound.

, a group of lifelong friends hailing from Chicago, with a debut EP 

 under their belt and a record on the way. Band members Sam, Oliver, and Jake used a vocoder, a midi-controller, and pedalboards to create a captivating soundscape that I can only compare to being gently swept away in a river. I particularly admired their balance between the electronic and organic-folk aspects of their music. They used the vocoder and midi to create carefully crafted effects, subtle enough to sound conducive, but great enough to make their music sound slightly ethereal. Despite the electronic aspects of their set, they maintained the folk vibe and, like So Sol, wore bells around their ankles. I was particularly pleased by their song “Too Fold” where they depicted cold days in Chicago, which showed off the band’s vocals, which were soft, dreamy, and complementary of one another, reminding me much of Fleet Foxes’ voices. Discussing their songwriting process, Oliver noted that the band likes to tell stories, imagining soundscapes and building up songs from something as seemingly mundane as a roadkill experience. Their full record can be expected June or July of 2017.

Happy-go-lucky indie pop band Trails and Ways appeared as the final act, performing their album 

, released October 2016. This performance was one of the first shows they played since the loss of prior members, Hannah Loon and Emma Oppen. Two new musicians took Loon and Oppen’s place, one on keyboard and the other on guitar. Despite the addition of new members, it was clear everyone of Trails and Ways knew the material well enough to feel comfortable on stage. The band was originally founded when the four original members met at UC Berkeley after studying abroad in Brazil and Spain. Although the Spanish and Portuguese musical influences apparent in their earlier albums seem to be missing from 

, the album remains consistent with the band’s indie persona, featuring dancey, pop chord progressions and offering sprinkles of a cappella with punchy kicks. It’s hard to not have your spirit lifted by Trails and Ways, who performed with smiles on their faces and a carefree disposition. When performing their most popular single, “Mtn Tune,” the audience rose off the floor and danced along with the band, creating a happy atmosphere and a sweet ending to an otherwise folk-chilled night.

So Sol, Sedgewick, and Trail and Ways still only have a humble number of listeners and remain in the early stages of their careers. This means an expectation of growth from here on out; I look forward to their new albums with excitement and optimism, knowing I can expect only the best.

Trails and Ways @ Out of the Blue


October 10th, 2016 at Paradise Rock Club
By: Lauren Kim

The Paradise Rock Club opened up on Monday night for the Australian electronic duo Flight Facilities. Their debut album, 

makes you feel as if you have actually taken flight, leaving this planet and departing into a dreamlike soundscape. The 2014 album features prominent artists like Reggie Watts and Kylie Minogue – the hodge-podge of vocalists and very surreal sounds of 

gave me the impression that Flight Facilities might not be able to do the album justice live. I was wonderfully proven wrong.

Cleopold opened the show with his 2016 album 

. He sat humbly in a chair with his laptop computer on a nearby stool, a midi keyboard serving as his only instrument. His songs were well made, balancing various elements of electronic percussion and synth. His most popular song, “Down in Flames”, had a solid synth melody with memorable lyrics. The track stuck out to me the most within a set of minimalistic material.

The wait for Flight Facilities was understandably long – the vast range of equipment necessary to recreate the album required careful testing by the sound team, particularly the drum pads that Hugo Gruzmann would play throughout the night. The lights, which were also an elaborate establishment, consisted of two light racks on either side, LED string lights lining the DJ shed, and a backdrop screen. This lengthy equipment setup could only hold a visually and aurally stunning show in store. After everything was armed and tested, the opening four tone aviation-esque beeps of “Intro” came over the speakers. Gruzman and James Lyell appeared on stage in their pilot outfits, sticking with the airline theme of 

. After the crowd simmered down, they dove into “Sunshine” with vocalist Surahn Sidhu singing Reggie Watt’s vocals. Sidhu didn’t disappoint the crowd and had the audience hyped with his genuine energy.

“Two Bodies,” my personal favorite, surpassed my expectations by a landslide. The vocalist Michaela Baranov, who filled in respectively for Emma Louise, Kylie Minogue, and Christine Hoberg throughout the show, was absolutely captivating. She sang with her entire soul, dancing smoothly across the stage with a genuine, heart-warming smile across her face. Incredibly talented at her craft, she hit every note that the renowned vocalists on 

 had hit to perfection. I could tell I was not the only one under her spell when I looked out into the audience and saw other faces of awe. When she told us all to raise our phone flashlights during “Clair De Lune” we all did as she commanded while she performed as if the experience was cathartic for her.

The best surprise came at the very end, when Hugo and James announced that they had a special piece that they wanted to perform for the first time. Gruzmann banged out the opening drum line of “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. Hugo, James, Baranov, and Sidhu exploded into a perfectly imperfect cover of the beloved Fleetwood song that evoked the biggest sing along of the night. After that final song the audience reluctantly filed out, crashing back down to earth after a brief trip in the air with Flight Facilities.

Flight Facilities @ Paradise Rock Club

Zeds Dead with Unlike Pluto and Ghastly
October 3rd, 2016 at House of Blues
By: Lauren Kim

Upon entering the House of Blues on October 3rd, I was greeted by a storm of lights and heavy bass. While initially unsure what to expect from a Monday night show, I was pleasantly surprised by the EDM crowd who piled into the venue in multicolored outfits, desperate to relieve themselves of their weekday woes. Unlike Pluto got the audience hyped by playing remixes of other coveted tracks, like Diplo’s “Revolution.” I was impressed with his original track “Waiting For You.” “Waiting for You,” features Joanna Jone’s sultry vocal track and samples to create a sort of call and response song. During the chorus, the vocals quiet down to create space for Zeds Dead and vice versa during the verses. Unlike Pluto was careful not to overwhelm the track with too much saxophone or jazzy percussion sounds, balancing their sound with Jone’s strong vocals excellently.

Next up was Ghastly, whose music unfortunately made me feel like I was having a panic attack. The music was aggressive and I couldn’t recognize any consistency within his setlist. He showed no original talent – his music sounded no different from other starter EDM Soundcloud tracks I’ve heard. His few original tracks all used the same sound samples, and I could hardly tell them apart. The drops didn’t have any satisfaction for the amount of buildup they had, and I could tell the audience had trouble dancing to his beats. He also had remixes that were based off old and outdated songs everyone’s heard way too many times, like Black Eyed Peas’ “Rock that Body.” I was particularly glad for my earplugs when he began to scream nonsense into the microphone.

I was waiting in utmost anticipation for Zeds Dead, and as soon as the duo came on the audience lit up. One thing is certain, the pair of DJs know how to put on a show and floored me with their elaborate visuals, the synchronized lights, and visual backdrop keeping me in awe. They opened with their track “Lost You,” which features Twin Shadow and D’Angelo Lacy off their EP, Somewhere Else. The track translated excellently live, even without Twin Shadow and D’Angelo Lacy the vocals and every intricate sound came through, showcasing Zeds Dead’s intimate knowledge of each of their tracks. They played one banger after another, refusing to allow a single moment for the audience to grow uninterested or anything less than hype. After “You Know,” and “Collapse,” Zeds Dead said thanks and goodnight and left the stage. “You Know,” evoked the biggest sing along from the crowd. They engaged the crowd by telling us to hold Z’s in the air with our hands. The insatiable crowd cheered until Zeds Dead returned and sang the hit that put them on everyone’s EDM radar, “Eyes on Fire”. The splendid vocals of Blue Foundation paired with Zed Dead’s captivating bassline had people singing long after the pair finally left the stage. Waiting outside of the House of Blues for my uber to arrive, I could hear gaggles of fans singing, slightly off key, as they ventured into the night under the spell of Zeds Dead.