Top 11 Acts To See at Lightning In A Bottle 2018!
1.BEATS ANTIQUE
It’s impossible to describe Beats Antique using just a single genre. One listen to their forthcoming album, Shadowbox (released on their own Beats Antique Records imprint), and their unique hybrid of sound makes perfect sense; their ability to blend so many different kinds of music in to an incredibly vibrant, distinctive and peerless album is what this band has been doing for the past ten years.
Sidecar Tommy, David Satori and Zoe Jakes make up Beats Antique, who is releasing their 10th album on October 5th to commemorate their tenth year as a band. They’ve mounted a larger-than-life cross-country tour that will take their vision to theaters across America. “Shadowbox is both the title of our new album, the theme of our tour, and our new store front in Berkeley CA. We decided to bring it all together on this release.
2.TOO MANY ZOOZ
Too Many Zooz are a busking phenomenon born in the subways of New York City. Their unique sound somehow manages to smash together jazz, Afro-Cuban rhythms, funk and even EDM structures and house music. They have racked up millions of views of their amazing live videos on YouTube. Beyonce enlisted the band to perform on the songs ‘Daddy Lessons’ and ‘Formation’ from her tour de force Lemonade which was nominated for the Grammy for Album of the Year. In 2016 the band performed with Beyonce and The Dixie Chicks at the internationally-broadcast CMA Awards. This year Too Many Zooz even performed in a Google Pixel 2 commercial. The rise of Too Many Zooz continues!
3.LYRICS BORN
The first thing you remember is the voice: that low, molasses-slow baritone that stretches into a long, humid Cajun drawl. Imagine that voice requesting a Mac Dre and a Main Source song. That voice asking to give a shout-out to a mythic crew called the Han Bodda Han Posse (proper spelling never confirmed), which definitively places that voice as yes, Bay Area. Finally, that voice giving you the name of the obscure sample the Geto Boys flipped for “My Mind’s Playing Tricks On Me.” And thereby winning the fifth on-air contest you’ve had in five weeks. Since then, that dude, now b/k/a Lyrics Born, has released 9 albums, 8 mixtapes, done countless guest tracks and collaborations, and become one of the most successful touring acts in the rap game. He’s done it all indie. Some of that has been by default, the culture industry is still reluctant it can and sell entertainers who look like LB. But his success has been all by design.
4.CON BRIO
The night before Con Brio headed into the studio to record their first full-length album, 23-year-old Ziek McCarter had a dream. In it, the singer received a visit from his father, an Army veteran who died at the hands of East Texas police in 2011. His father delivered an invitation: Come with me to paradise.
McCarter woke up with a song in his bones. “It was one of the most spiritual moments of my life,” he recalls. It was up to him, he knew, to rise above injustice, and to perform in a way that lifted up those around him as well. To make Con Brio’s music a place of serenity, compassion –even euphoria –right here on earth.
5.THE CALIFORNIA HONEYDROPS
The California Honeydrops don’t just play music, they throw parties. Led by dynamic vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Lech Wierzynski, and drawing on diverse musical influences from Bay Area R&B, funk, Southern soul, Delta blues, and New Orleans second-line, the Honeydrops bring vibrant energy and infectious dance-party vibes to their shows. They’ve taken the party all over the world, playing festivals of all kinds and touring widely across North America, Europe and Australia. In 2016-2017 the Honeydrops were honored to support Boie Raitt on her North America release tour and in the past have been privileged to support the likes of B.B. King, Allen Toussaint, Buddy Guy, and Dr. John. Whether in those high-profile performances or in more intimate venues where the band itself can leave the stage and get down on the dance floor, the California Honeydrops’ shared vision and purpose remain: to make the audience dance and sing.
6.SHOOK TWINS
Magic revolves around the number two. Opposite halves define our existence. There’s dark and light, black and white, night and day, yin-and-yang, and so on and so forth.
On their 2017 EP 2, critically acclaimed Idaho-born and Portland-based indie outfit Shook Twins draw on the inherent power of the group’s namesake duo identical twin sisters Katelyn Shook vocals, guitar and Laurie Shook banjo, vocals. In early 2017, the pair holed up alone in a room with just two voices and two instruments and cut the seven-song collection live to tape, serving up bare bones renditions of fan favorites, covers, and one new tune entitled “Safe.”
7. PURPLEDISCOMACHINE
International DJ, producer and remixer Tino Piontek aka Purple Disco Machine has been on a whirlwind of a musical journey since the conception of his Deep Funk branded Disco House music project in 2009.
The Dresden-born Deep Funk inovator has racked up numerous achievements, although it was his 2013 breakthrough hit ‘My House,’ on OFF Recordings, that really propelled PDM onto new heights; landing the No.1 Spot within Beatport’s Deep House chart and, at its peak, No.3 overall. The track remains one of Beatport’s best ever sellers and PDM ranks #18 in the platforms All Time Top 100 Artists chart.
8. VIKEN ARMAN
Viken Arman, along with a generation of like-minded artists, is pushing the boundaries of electronic music not only towards the future, but also towards the past. Fusing ancient melodies with electronic beats to create magical vibes that go beyond dance music brings rich cultures together in mystical musical journeys.
Growing up with Jazz and classical music, he draws influence from a very versatile music background from Keith Jarrett, Erik Satie, Bill Evans, Jay Dilla, Ricardo Villalobos to the Arabic diva Oum Khalthoum. His knowledge of piano as well as his time at the music conservatory contributed to his wide musical culture.
9. WALKER & ROYCE
Walker & Royce have been producing their emotive, subdued and groove-heavy deep house since 2011 — but almost from the start, they were touted as future stars. Now it’s official, thanks to a certain UK tastemaker — not to mention a string of stellar productions and remixes.” – XLR8R “Walker & Royce” started when Sam and Gavin, having known each other in and out of the dance scene for years, finally began working together in 2011. As things usually go, it was a bit of luck that got them off the ground: Crosstown Rebels boss Damian Lazarus noticed one of their very first releases, a remix of SAARID’s “Future Lately,” on Nervous Records. The result was the Crosstown Rebels EP “You’re Not Welcome” and with that, Walker & Royce was launched into the dance music spotlight.
10. MONOLINK
Singer-songwriter and Electronic music producer. To many that might sound like two very different aspects of modern sound culture – which in turn makes Monolink a fascinating character, because he’s both rolled into one. His style seamlessly connects the narrative structure of a song with the compelling forward thrust of electronic rhythms. Guitar chords merge into synthetic pad sounds, hypnotic bass vibrations meet emotional vocal parts, passionate physicality meets sublime stimulation for the mind.
Steffen Linck comes from a background that is often described with the wonderfully vague term “guitar music”. North American Folk, Blues…he’s never committed to a single style. And as much as he loves his guitar as a faithful companion on his musical journey the songs composed for this instruments have a certain flaw. Thanks to melodic structure and the additional use of the human voice they have the power to tell a story – but all too often it’s just a very short pleasure. That’s why the Berlin based producer is fascinated by another genre that is synonymous with endurance: Electronic Dance Music. Its hypnotic rhythms create a very physical dance experience during long party nights. Already being active as a DJ besides his activity as guitarist and singer in various bands, it’s an obvious idea to connect both principles with each other.
11. KMLN
An international shapeshifting duo, KMLN (pronounced “Kameleon”) unites Italian producer/multi- instrumentalist Christopher Tooker and Canadian dj/producer Shawna Hofma. May it be a prime time or sunrise set, they adapt and deliver sets that blow your mind and bring your dance skills to the next level. Live instruments, syncopation, organic meets modern, future meets past. As interplanetary travelers and cultural explorers, the KMLN ship bends time through sound, blending elements of deep tribal house and minimal techno, moving through tempos with layers and layers of mind altering colors.
For More Info and Tickets Visit:
http://lightninginabottle.org/
