Noise

Three ’90s pioneers of electronic music play Vegas this week

Image
Goldie
Courtesy

Tricky Hip-hop. Dub. Rock. Soul. Reggae. Jazz. Funk. Blues. Techno. Somehow they all amalgamate to form Tricky’s singular sound—one often called trip-hop, but a deeper scanning of the Bristol singer/songwriter/producer’s work reveals something beyond that regional, time-stamped approach. Look no further than Tricky’s 1995 breakthrough debut, Maxinquaye, a brooding, atmospheric work with spokes extending out to several different styles of black music, unified by slow-and-low breakbeats, innovative sampling and production that evokes both late-night wanderlust and urban tension. That aesthetic has served as a foundation for Tricky’s subsequent 12 albums, and ought to similarly define his opening set—his first local live showing in 20 years. Opening for A Perfect Circle, November 18, 8 p.m., $39-$129, the Chelsea. –Mike Prevatt

The Orb Best known for its hypnotic 1991 single “Little Fluffy Clouds,” The Orb is the weird uncle of electronic music: You generally can’t dance to them, work to them or throw on one of their records on to relax. That’s not to say Alex Paterson and Thomas Fehlmann haven’t made great dance songs or gorgeous ambient compositions, but oftentimes, they cheekily sabotage their killer tracks with goofball found sounds, or bookend them with dub-heavy slogs. But when they’re on their game, The Orb can catapult you to the heavens—far above the fluffy clouds and into breathtaking unexplored space. November 20, 8 p.m., $22-$25, Brooklyn Bowl. –Geoff Carter

Goldie It’s hard to imagine the Queen bestowing anyone sporting a mouthful of gold teeth with a Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) award, but that’s exactly what she did in 2016. Goldie might only be a niche figurehead in the U.S., but in his native U.K., the music producer-turned-actor-turned-artist made quite an impact in the 1990s, chiefly by introducing bass-heavy dance music to the masses, elevating the artistry of the drum ’n’ bass and jungle subgenres (see his 1995 breakout album Timeless) and introducing showmanship to what was largely a faceless scene. So it’s fitting he’s headlining the 10th anniversary of Nickel F*cking Beer’s annual Bass Gravy throwdown. Attend and pay your respects. With Brock G, Lion Eyes, Da Zukeepa and NPhaze, November 20, 10 p.m., $12, Commonwealth. –MP

Tags: Music
Share
Photo of Geoff Carter

Geoff Carter

Experts in paleoanthropology believe that Geoff Carter began his career in journalism sometime in the early Grunge period, when he ...

Get more Geoff Carter
Top of Story