Originally posted at The Daily Trojan on January 13, 2010:
Using the night as an excuse to emerge from recording hibernation, the L.A.-via-New York experimental-folk duo Gangi made the most of its short set to showcase a cross section of its sonic abilities. Fronted by sometime-DJ and perpetual sample-maker Matt Gangi and supported by newly added bass player Oliver Hild, the band utilized every keyboard, guitar and synthesizer on stage — of which there were many — to create their masterpieces.
In addition to stripping down to traditional instrumentation for its newly written tunes, Gangi used synthesized keyboard notes, pre-programmed beats and looped sounds from a pedal board-type array to add texture to older, rawer songs.
Throughout the frontline changes, however, new drummer Eric Chramosta’s impressively technical skin-hitting remained constant. Never content with a 4/4 time signature, Chramosta pounds through the heart of the band’s dreamscapes like Zach Hill from spastic Sacramento math-rock band Hella. His drumming style is refreshing in general, but, when placed behind a similarly complex tangle of memorable Gangi jams, it’s impossible not to get sucked in.