Originally printed in Salt Lake City Weekly on October 1, 2008:
GANGI
Gangi’s “Animals” boasts a refrain as catchy—though far less annoying—as Gwen Stefani’s b-a-n-a-n-a-s, with the Los Angeles-based duo drawing out, recoiling and jamming together the song title’s namesake into a playful run-on sentence. It’s completely addictive, as is most of Gangi’s Office of Analogue LP. Titled simply,A (perhaps the first in a 26-part series?), the record is a pleasing swirl of fairly straightforward songwriting that’s been artfully sliced, diced and re-imagined by its curious inventors. Its tracks swing on a pendulum of neo-psychedelic folk, some dripping in reverb, others recalling similar ventures into contemporary electronic noise bombs in the vein of Animal Collective. Each listen reveals new layers, with information samples from media sources (New York Times, Google, etc.) papered between band-generated contributions. Gangi’s music is out there but not so bizarre that it’s unapproachable. In fact, once digested, it’s hard to get it out of your system. Also, check out their version of “Fire In Cairo” on the forthcoming Perfect As Cats: A Tribute to The Cure, out Oct. 28. The Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, 10 p.m. Tickets: 24Tix.com (with Rainbow Arabia, Palace of Buddies and Navigator)
• Also Wednesday: Neva Dinova, McCarthey Trenching (Kilby Court); Kate LeDeuce & The Soul Terminators (Burt’s Tiki Lounge);DJ Flash & Flare (W Lounge)