Show: Roller Ehse

The good folks of Ehse Records have become known not only for their genre-defying assortment of Baltimore sounds pressed to wax, but for their events such as Ehse on Ice which brought noise acts to Patterson Park's friendly neighborhood ice bubble.

Trade in your ice skates for something more seasonal this Friday at Roller Ehse. Lexie Mountain writes of an event not-to-miss, a night that leave's your rollerskating soundtrack to the professionals. Lexie details the evening's entertainment below:

Ami Dang + Amulets: Amulets is Kate Levitt of Teeth Mountain, Dan Deacon Ensemble. Ami Dang is a Sikh shredder. Sitar, voice, electronics, and drums come together in new weird world tribe vibe. NEVER CUT YOUR HAIR AGAIN!




Editor's note: play all three above at the same time for an approximation of Ami Dang + Amulets

Adventure: Super group with the super sound. Blowin subs from The Smell to the Soft House. Bumpin' and spacin' all the way with Benny Boeldt, Mark Brown and Dave Fell. Music to hold hands to, with the wind in your beard.

Ich Auch: Karl Ekdahl and Logan Terkelsen all-improvised analog synthesizer and aucoustic drums duo, with a sound ranging from up-beat psychedelic electronica to atmospheres of minimal ambience.

DJ TEAM SECOND COMMUNION: Amy Harmon and Lexie Mountain chant down the wheel in the sky for Roller Ehse AKA XANADON'T using the ancient shaking wands available to human life: cassette, LP and dirty hands. Classic non-hits, steamy sweet anthems, gems from forgotten eras. It'll be here and so will you!

Skates and admission is $3 / $5. The event starts at 9:30 PM at Shake and Bake.

Ami Dang - Hukam

Last week at Normals I purchased my first record of 2011, Ami Dang's new LP. Hukam is Dang's first full length, and is out now and ready for consumption via Ehse Records.



"A Strange Community" marks the start of side B of the new record - a three and a half minute schooling on what exactly the output of Ami Dang entails. There are big and worldly Bollywood inspired beats, looping psychedelic swirls of sitar melodies, and likely one of the few sets of pipes out there that could patch it all together properly. However what drives this track is the experimental club rhythms that cascade and scatter around the hauntingly vast melodic tones and twisted layers of psychedelia with ease.

If that sounds complex and poorly matched, it's not. Hukam puts all of these forces together and more - tossing in cosmic ambiance, standard pop sensibilities, and a hint of avant electronics for good measure. While the record's influences are abundant, the album boasts simplicity and a knack for containing a good bit of infectious pop hooks that will hopefully inspire care-free late night dance parties the world over.

Go get Ami Dang's Hukam from Baltimore's Ehse Records via most available formats.

Shows: Ami Dang, Microkingdom, Big In Japan, Crazy Dreams Band, Avocado Happy Hour, more

This first week of the year boasts a handful of more than worthy musical happenings to attend, all of which should keep your ears entertained and out of the cold.



Thursday night you've got a few options in Station North, starting with a stellar lineup at the Metro Gallery - Crazy Dreams Bands, Microkingdom, and Horse Lords. This one starts at 8 PM and costs $7. I'll have a full post on Microkingdom tomorrow, as they are on the heels of releasing their new LP, Three Compositions of No Jazz. The wax hits shelves and mailboxes later this month via Friends Records, with a release show plotted for January 21 at the Windup Space. More on that tomorrow, though.

Across the street at the Hexagon you'll find a tour send-off show for The Woolly Moon, a country folk project that dabbles in psychedelic realms. They will be joined by Arsenii Vaselenko from San Francisco and American Folklore, starts at 9 PM.



Friday night sports two stellar choice as well, starting with Big In Japan, The Water, Infinite Honey, and Avocado Happy Hour at the Ottobar. This increasingly rare Big In Japan performance is worth noting, as they will be joined by Celebration's Katrina Ford on vocals. The band has worked with Ford recently on recording a few songs, which are being produced by Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips). This show is $10 and starts at 9 PM.

Down in Mt. Vernon, Deep In The Game's got a really good one as they'll be hosting Ami Dang's record release show. Ami Dang recently dropped Hukam on Ehse Records, and I've been fortunate enough to spend some time with the full length for the last few months. It's garnered considerable play, and look for that awesome record to be explored further on this blog later this week or early next week.

Video: Ami Dang - Where Nothing Grows

We mentioned Ami Dang's forthcoming record a few weeks ago, which is out via Ehse Records on January 7. It now has its first proper video, a short sculpted by Mark Brown.



I first caught the video for "Where Nothing Grows" during Mark Brown's portion of Soft Fest a few weeks back, in which he also projected a taste from an upcoming Teengirl Fantasy video he did. Mark's psychedelic churn of effects turn this bollywood dance romp into a full-on organic head-fuck. From the looks of the footage, I'd guess that Ami is dancing in the corner of The Soft House while the sun sets over west Baltimore. This imagery is cut and spun with sun-lit vegetation, which eventually turns to sparse desert.

Ami Dang's forthcoming LP is dubbed HUKAM, and is out January 7 via Ehse.

Arthur Radio: Ami Dang

I recently stumbled across an Arthur Radio Transmission that featured Ami Dang, an individual that might already be your favorite sitar player in Baltimore.

Ami plays sitar, sings, and also has a knack for electronics. The result is a pulsating brew of psychedelics, bollywood vibes, and dance pop that is never predictable. The podcast features a 50 minute live set, the only way in which we've had the pleasure of consuming Dang's experimental bliss as of yet. Ami Dang does have a handful of recorded tracks over on her mypace page, one of which, "Milani", is played during this performance.

More recordings are soon on the way, as Dang is set to release a full length this year on Ehse Records. Look for more news on that release, as it's currently deep in progress. The podcast on Arthur also features a DJ set by Dang, who spins some other Baltimore natives including White Life, Cex, and Polygons.

You can download/stream the full podcast right here compliments of Arthur Magazine.

Tonight: Dustin Wong, Ami Dang, & more at The Soft House

Tonight the Soft House is in action, hosting a show that's sure to stimulate the ears and massage the brain. The lineup boasts Dustin Wong, Ami Dang, Greg Davis and Ben Vida, Michael Forbes, Andrew Scott Young and Weasel Walter.



This show's got a rather melodic range of sounds including ambient sitar, cosmic synths, free jazz, and guitar loop wizardry. Amanda from the Soft House also writes that there will be unique vegetarian sushi combinations available. The "spicy garden bagel roll" and "guacamole international" both sound well worth coming out for.

The show starts at 9:30 PM... "exactly!"

Photos: Wye Oak / Lands & Peoples @ Ottobar

Last Friday night Wye Oak played a homecoming show after national tours with Lower Dens and Shearwater, and their arrival back home was greeted graciously. Lands and Peoples and Ami Dang opened up the affair, which went down at the sold out Ottobar.


Lands and Peoples put on yet another brilliant display of sonically-rich folk pop, and listening ears welcomed their sounds in awe and with gratitude. Their set clocked in at an ideal 30 minutes, and was capped off by a stellar rendition of "In Living Colour".


Wye Oak killed it, seemingly eager to play to a packed club full of friends and close followers. This was the celebration of their new EP, a five song gem now out on Merge that was produced by Chris Freeland and Mickey Free in their studio outside of Baltimore. Andy and Jenn invited Lands and Peoples to join them for a song, a cover of Rod Lee's infamous "Dance My Pain Away".

Get the full set of photos compliments of Valerie after the jump.

Wye Oak






Lands and Peoples









Photos by Valerie

Clusterf*ck: Wye Oak, Lands and Peoples, Food For Animals, Rapdragons, Megapolis

Tonight Wye Oak is back from their massive North American tour, and are playing a homecoming show at the Ottobar with some stellar support. Ami Dang will open, and the always amazing Lands and Peoples have a set in store as well. Lands and Peoples recently contributed a brand new track to the Friends Records compilation.



Saturday night the Penthouse is sporting a killer rap show with Food For Animals, Rapdragons, Lexx, and alot more. Open mic challenges are promised, and battles will likely ensue. Bring your party hats and show up around 9 PM for this one. This track is also from the Friends and Friends of Friends comp, a completely radical Jones remix of a brand new Food For Animals jam that will be on their next LP.



Get all the details and ongoings of Megapolis after the jump.

Megapolis is going on alllllllll weekend long, and features a ridiculous amount of sounds of all varieties. It takes place at various Station North locations, and is more than worth checking out. Here's the full schedule compliments of the Megapolis site:

Saturday May 15

10:30am – 11:15pm
PANTMRSI! – Andrea Silenzi
@ front of Hexagon Space, 1825 N. Charles St

From the Ground Up: Making Music with Free Software – Patrick McNameeKing
@ Hexagon Space (Stage), 1825 N. Charles St

Sounds of Grief – Ian Nagoski
@ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave

Atari Punk Consoles – Justin Sabe (RSVP Required)
@ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave

How to Score in Radio – Lawrence Lanahan & Bruce Wallace
@ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St

(10am-1pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver
@ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

11:15am – 12pm Sounds of Grief – Ian Nagoski (continued) @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Atari Punk Consoles – Justin Sabe (continued) (RSVP Required) @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave How to Score in Radio – Lawrence Lanahan & Bruce Wallace (continued) @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St (10am-1pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

12pm – 1pm Lunch break! also: (12:30pm-2:30pm) Studio Tour – Neil Feather (RSVP Required) leaves outside the Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave (10am – 1pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

1pm – 1:45pm Graphic Score Improvisation Workshop – Benjamin Miller @ Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave (1pm – 1:30pm) Getting Closer – Jenny Asarnow & Eitan Isaacson @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave (1:30 – 2:30) Oversharing on the Radio – Benjamen Walker @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Contact Mic Construction – Ed Bear & Dan Fishkin (RSVP Required) @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave Artist’s Guide to Useful Technology – Hans Tammen & Adam Rokhsar @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St Parachute Dance – Sharlene Leurig & Thomas Deuel @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave wake-making installation activation – Melissa Moore @ Hexagon Space (Gallery), 1825 N. Charles St

1:45pm – 2:30pm 21st Century Composition – Benjamin Miller @ Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave Seeded Plain – Bryan Day & Jay Kreimer @ Hexagon Space (Stage), 1825 N. Charles St A Thousand Voices installation walkthrough – Ioana Jucan, Quyen Ngo, & Ryan Lester @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave Artist’s Guide to Useful Technology – Hans Tammen & Adam Rokhsar (continued) @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St (1:30 – 2:30) Oversharing on the Radio – Benjamen Walker (continued) @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Contact Mic Construction – Ed Bear & Dan Fishkin (continued) (RSVP Required) @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave

2:30pm – 3+pm Concert Earth – Naomi Lucille Kagaya & Stephanie Smith @ Load of Fun Gallery, 120 W. North Ave

3pm – 3:45pm Knitting Jam – Laure Drogoul @ Hexagon Space (Gallery), 1825 N. Charles St B’more Soundwalk – Bonnie Jones & Suzanne Thorpe @ front of Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave The Sounds of Sex – Zachary Kent @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave DIY Transmitter – Brett Ian Balogh (RSVP Required) @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave Locally Toned – T. Foley @ front of Load of Fun Gallery, 120 W. North Ave WikiMixing – Brendan Baker @ WYPR 2216 N. Charles St (3pm – 4pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver @ front of Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

3:45pm – 4:30pm Hans Tammen Endangered Guitar / Adam Rokhsar Video (Performance) @ Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave Third Sight-seeing: Aesthetic Adventures in Sensory Substitution – Myroslaw Bytz & Nick Heling @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Book Odds REMIX – Roman Mars @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St Vocal Transformer – Daniel Fishkin & Kenji Garland @ Hexagon Space (Stage), 1825 N. Charles St DIY Transmitter – Brett Ian Balogh (continued) (RSVP Required) @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave (3pm – 4pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver @ front of Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

4:30pm – 5:30pm Reception! Installation activation w/ food and drink TBA… @ Load of Fun Gallery + Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave Tickets: $10 regular (plus entry to Kubin) / free for weekend pass-holders

5:30pm – 7pm FELIX KUBIN, brought to you by the Associations of Independents in Radio and Goethe-Institut Washington @ Load of Fun Theatre (LOF/t), 120 W. North Ave Tickets: $10 regular (includes reception before) / free for weekend pass-holders

9pm – 2am (8:30pm doors) LUCKY DRAGONS VISTAS HERBERT ECKHARDT JASON SLOAN, STEVE BRADLEY, BON CHAMPION AND DAVID FONG DJ TRENT of WFMU DJ DUBBLE8 @ Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave Brought to you by WLOY Loyola Radio Tickets: $10 regular / free for weekend pass-holders The Shortwave Shindig – David Goren with Easy Sonic Living @ Hexagon Space, 1825 N. Charles St Tickets: Free to the public

Sunday May 16

10:30am – 11:15am WikiMixing – Brendan Baker @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St (11am) Daishadokyo: A River Koan Performance – Geodesic Gnome @ leaves from front of Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Documentary Square Dance – The Place + Memory Project / Big Shed @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave DIY Transmitter – Brett Ian Balogh (RSVP Required) Brought to you by Piscis @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave (10am – 1pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver @ front of Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

11:15am – 12pm Group Interactive Biofeedback Performance – Eric Lindley @ Hexagon Space, 1825 N. Charles St Practical Cognitive Processes for the Audio Maker – Nick van der Kolk @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St DIY Transmitter – Brett Ian Balogh (continued) (RSVP Required) Brought to you by Piscis @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave Documentary Square Dance – The Place + Memory Project / Big Shed (continued) @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave (10am – 1pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

12pm – 1pm Lunch break! also: (10am – 1pm) Silosphere – Rebecca Bray & James Bigbee Garver @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

1pm – 2pm DAVID KESTENBAUM @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Brought to you by Transom.org Tickets: $5 regular / free to weekend pass-holders

2pm – 6pm Nelson’s Electric Chaircut – Nelson Loskamp @ front of Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave

2:15pm – 3pm Matt Sterling (Performance) @ Hexagon Space, 1825 N. Charles St The Cinema as a Concert Hall for the 21st Century – Alexis Bhagat @ Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave Three Algorithms: Strange Connections Between Logic, Disorientation, and Experimental Music- John Berndt @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Atari Punk Consoles – Justin Sabe RSVP Required Brought to you by Piscis @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave Exquisite Puppies: An Interactive Experiment – Dennis Conrow & Jesse Dukes @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St Parachute Dance – Sharlene Leurig & Thomas Deuel @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave

3pm – 3:45pm The Thunder Wheel Array – Neil Feather (performance) @ Echo Gallery, 20 W. North Ave Locally Toned – T. Foley @ front of Load of Fun Gallery, 120 W. North Ave The Cinema as a Concert Hall for the 21st Century – Alexis Bhagat (continued) @ Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave Three Algorithms: Strange Connections Between Logic, Disorientation, and Experimental Music- John Berndt (continued) @ Cyclops Books, 30 W. North Ave Atari Punk Consoles – Justin Sabe (continued) RSVP Required Brought to you by Piscis @ Baltimore Node, 120 W. North Ave Exquisite Puppies: An Interactive Experiment – Dennis Conrow & Jesse Dukes (continued) @ WYPR, 2216 N. Charles St

4pm – 6pm CLOSING RECEPTION Featuring selections of works created during the festival weekend folled by a performance by: ARRINGTON DE DIONYSO’S MALAIKAT DAN SINGA @ Windup Space, 12 W. North Ave Tickets: $5 / free to weekend pass-holders

8pm – ? (7:30pm doors)

2640_MOVE_MUSIC – Timothy Nohe, Renée Brozic Barger, Tiffany DeFoe, Meghan Flanigan, Carol Hess, Francesca Jandasek, Clarinda Mac Low, Luca Marini, Catherine Pancake, Nicole Shiflet, and Stephanie Yezek
@ 2640 Space, 2640 St Paul St
Tickets: $10 general / $8 student / free to weekend pass-holders

Tonight: Extra Golden @ Floristree

Hailing from DC, Kenya, and maybe beyond, Extra Golden are making an exotic stop on their tour. The multi-national ensemble is bringing its good vibes to Floristree tonight, right here in Baltimore.

Their latest release Thank You Very Quickly has been in my heavy rotation as of late, as I often can't seem to shake its afro-infused jams from my head. Two of the band members still reside in Kenya, and once needed Obama's help to get work visas to tour the states. To say that their sound is African influenced is clearly an understatement.

However, they are mainly a rock band. While other artists have eluded to African song structures and rhythms and claim influence, Extra Golden's sound is simply half straight up rock and roll, and half a Kenyan worldly vibe. The album leaves nothing hidden, and its sound is instantaneously recognizable upon first listen. Their latest LP was released via Thrill Jockey a few weeks ago.

I can only imagine these guys soundtrack a pretty fun party, which probably makes tonight a must. The bill also features Matthew Papich, Ami Dang, and Audrey Chen with Jeff Carey. Show starts around 8:30.

Celebration Tonight

Their first show in awhile, Celebration will be headlining The Windup Space tonight. The group's unique brand of tribal atmospheric rock will fail to disappoint, and Katrina Ford's ambitious pipes will surely bellow up and down North Ave. Lone Wolf and Ami Dang open up the affair, which kicks off at 9 pm.

David Sitek played a heavy part in creating both of Celebration's fantastic albums, as the local native produced both LPs. David Sitek's mega huge band, TV on the Radio, just announced an evening at the 930 Club on June 6th. Tickets go on sale here on Saturday at 10 am. Expect them to sell out, faster than Stringer Bell runs from Omar.