Summary: <p>Algiers is a mesmerizing band of musicians born in Atlanta, Georgia and now splitting time between London and New York. Their urgent, genre-resistant, chill-inducing, and fist-shaking music taps into and channels the frustration of locally-informed global citizens in these dark times - with a soulful and compelling roar. Their live sets feel spiritual and cathartic, but also might be for dancing. Then again - they also put out a music/zine series of somewhat more experimental sounds.</p> <p><a href="http://algierstheband.bandcamp.com/album/1st-november-1954">1st November 1954 by Algiers</a></p> <p>Frontman Franklin James Fisher is a multi-instrumentalist who might, at any point in their set, be stationed at the Rhodes, handling the samples. or wielding a guitar. (Read about his non-tour instrument on which he composes, <a href="https://therumpus.net/2017/09/wantedneededloved-franklin-james-fishers-rhoda/">Rhoda</a>.) Ryan Mahan, ostensibly on bass, also handles drum programming, baritone guitar, and synthesizer. There’s also the multi-instrumentalist stylings of Lee Tesche, on guitar, prepared guitar, harmonium, saxophone, and prepared piano. The 2017 record, <em>The Underside of Power</em>, was the band's first to include drummer Matt Tong (ex-Bloc Party) on hybrid drum kit, chimes, and percussion. (NPR has published <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2017/06/19/533237337/a-band-apart-fractured-fury-algiers" target="_blank">this excellent in-depth article on Algiers</a>, by Ned Raggett.)</p> <p>Algiers, in their press materials, cite a great breadth and variety of influences - Big Black, Wendy Carlos, W.E.B. Dubois, John Carpenter, Cybotron, The Four Tops, Portishead, Public Image Limited, Steve Reich, Miles Davis, and Nina Simone - which may or may not inform their (I’m going for it here) their postpunk-gospel-kraut-y-motown-rocking ferocious crooning resistance music by this "American experimental band." We’re super-pumped to have them play in-studio. - <em>Caryn Havlik</em></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p> </p>
