CMJ has started with a BANG. Wednesday, after shuffling back and forth on the Lower East Side all day- stopping by Terrorbird Media and Tell All Your Friends PR‘s excellent showcases- I hauled ass to Brooklyn. After a (four) drink stop at the Fader Fort, I skipped over to Shea Stadium to see excellent up-and-comers Maus Haus and electro-wave staples Blackbird Blackbird.

Mau Haus: Confection of Kraftwerk, the Beach Boys and Sonic Youth

In the afternoon I caught part of Maus Haus‘ earlier set and I couldn’t resist seeing them again. The young San Francisco four-piece have an addictive sound- winding dark electronic melodies with picky basslines, buzzy synths and gentle vocals that tell rhythmic stories. They describe their sound as a “confection of Kraftwerk, the Beach Boys and Sonic Youth” and I don’t disagree. However, their experimental sound embraces a modern balance of creepy and melodic (The Unicorns, New Moods) while encompassing a whole lotta noise.

They sound like a dream you once had… the one where you were running through a maze of reverb, guided by chiming nintendo beats, to turn a corner into snake charmers and psychadelic wallpaper. Yeah, they’re that  cool, plus their live show is full chaotic energy. You’d be a square to stand still. Head over to their bandcamp to listen, and catch them at their last CMJ show at The Deli’s showcase– Friday the 19th at the Delancey.

Gentle electronics: Blackbird Blackbird

Blackbird Blackbird, also out of San Francisco, have been around for a while now, haunting the masses with their gentle electronic sound. A subdued fusion of ambient and chillwave music, they toy around in melodic flourishes, chimes, scattered beats and a layer of lo-fi soft vocals. The sound is definitely more dynamic recorded, and live didn’t share the same moments of gentle clarity that are apparent on record. It’s fun to listen to pretty much any time of the day, and  Blkbrd Blkbrd have an ability to transport- wrap you up in a wave of synth and float your mind away for a moment.

CMJ isn’t even half over, what are we going to do….