Sleep Party People review

Posted by Tai on Mar 18, 2010 in Music, Photography, Reviews |

This monday i attended the concert here in Oslo at the venue Blå/Blaa with the main name playing being The Antlers from US. The warm up band was danish Sleep Party People. A project started in the bedroom of Brian Batz (don’t know how the project started there, maybe he is recording from there?) The Antlers was the main name, but the main event for me was in no doubt the Sleep Party People sense i simply thought they where better. The Antlers will get their own review on of these days.

First of all, if someone normally listens to Korn, Disturbed, The Interbeing and other types of rock and metal, they will not be able review electronic indie with a passion in the heart. This of cause applies to me as well when reviewing both The Antlers and Sleep Party People. I do listen sometimes to music that can evoke emotions and make you chill to soothing tones (one of my favorites in this is The Knife)

Well the music that i was about to hear i only listened to a little bit from their Myspace site but i do know that seeing a band live can really change the way you feel about some music. My personal opinion is that no matter if you play electronic or metal that you should be able to deliver it on the stage. i have nothing against having stuff on backtracks with recorded loops and such, but you need to be able to use it in a live setting. Sleep Party People proofed from Blå/Blaa the venue where the concert took place, that they had absolutely no problem with this aspect of the music they make.

Standing in the room and the concert was about to start, the 6 musicians comes out and quickly glans at the audience and then at their gear (maybe checking they where standing in the right spot) and then with no rush, taking on their signature rabbit/bunnie masks. Some people might think wearing costumes of some sort is a band trying to hard, but i also think that it all depends on how the band handles it. When the musicians took on those masks, they transformed into the Sleep Party People, being able to communicate just by looking at each other (well at least we could not hear it) They had no communication towards the audience, but yet they where able to project a presence of being with everybody in the room, making the music talk straight to everybody.

The music is what really got to me. The Music mixed by guitars, electronics, electronics drums and the vocal being compressed by a vocoder or something that made the vocal sound like a chipmunk all came together really nicely. Another thing important to me, is also that the numbers don’t sound alike. The music that the guys from Sleep Party People delivered had a very nice dynamic to it. You are able to hear the difference in the tunes, and not asking yourself 4 numbers in, if the tune they are playing still are the first one!? They managed to deliver a variety of different tunes, all song by the lead chipmunk! This is also where i have to deduct a single star. Even thou the chipmunk like vocal fits nicely with the music and is also a great deal of the feelings you get from the music, it’s very very hard to hear what’s actually being song, and sometimes you wonder if anything but the title of the tune is being said? Well the music still flows and after a very short while you really don’t care if you understand the vocal or not. You let the tunes move you.

PanCakeBeaver was also on the spot taking pictures from the concert. the show was very brightly lit with blue spots from behind, with very little change in colors and almost no lights on the front. You don’t really need that flashy scene show, only when taking pictures without a flash, then it’s a pain in the ass. Well if you don’t think in taking pictures the lights captured the music really well. PanCakeBeaver supplied me with pictures so here you are, enjoy.

Verdict: Sleep Party People is getting a 8/10 from me. 1 deducted for the vocal not being understandable enough for me, and 1 for the missing front lights. The last 8 are fully deserved. This is of cause my personal opinion and nothing else.