TuneLab
JAGWAR MA psychedelic electronica in The Lab NYC
Jagwar Ma's turn in The Lab NYC is a blessed relief from the four-to-the-floor tyranny, a reminder that electronic music can be weird, psychedelic, and still make you move without a punishing kick drum. The scene is a hazy, downtown loft party where the dress code is 'vintage band tee' and the air is thick with creative possibility. This is psychedelic electronica, a genre-bending ride averaging 114.1 BPM that dabbles in indie, krautrock, and balearic beats. Key-wise, it's a more eclectic spread, with 10B, 5A, and 6B all making appearances, reflecting the set's restless, exploratory nature.
The energy balance is remarkably even for a 'dance' set, with lows at 59% and mids at 36%, allowing melodic textures and rhythmic intricacies to shine over sheer power. The mixing feels like a curated radio show from a cooler dimension, where transitions are about mood and texture as much as beatmatching. For highlights, Smerz's 'Because' is a stunning, off-kilter opener of glacial synths and fractured vocals. The band's own 'Give Me a Reason', especially the Weatherall-dubbed version, is a sprawling, cosmic disco anthem.
Keifergr33n's 'D 3 a T H S H a R K' injects a dose of digital weirdness, and the inclusion of Was (Not Was)'s 'Walk The Dinosaur' is the kind of ironic-yet-sincere left-turn we live for. The journey kicks off with the cool detachment of 'Because', finds its lysergic peak in the extended 'Give Me a Reason' rework, and gently lands back on earth with the same track's more subdued, part one conclusion.