TTie Pendulum - Major Lazer's major energy rocks Cat's Cradle http://www.elon.edu/pendulum/Story.aspx?id=3631
Major Lazer's major energy rocks Cat's Cradle
by Jay Light, April 6, 2010
Many people may not have heard of Major Lazer, Rusko or Sleigh Bells. But sometimes the best things aren't noticed at first. People who enjoy a good, catchy beat to dance to that's a little different from what's on the radio will embrace the antics of these three rising stars in the world of dance and electronic music. Their recent show at Carrboro's Cat's Cradle cemented this future status with a raucous display of showmanship on the part of all of the performers, along with some darn good music.
The highlight of the night was headliner Major Lazer, pseudonym of Grammy-winning DJs and producers Switch and Dipio, the masterminds behind M.I.A.'s infectious "Paper Planes." They've taken dancehall music, a reggae- infused electronic music style from Jamaica, and added their own spin. The result is an insanely danceable musical landscape that sounds like nothing heard before.
Major Lazer's 2009 debut "Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do" released an album on Downtown Records, and Rusko and Sleigh Bells each have albums forthcoming this spring.
Live, the experience of listening to them is more exciting. With Bronx native Skerrit Bwoy acting as MC and hype man, the DJ duo stands in the back and mixes songs ranging from Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction" to their own hits "Hold The Line" and "Pon de Floor." Skerrit runs around stage, dancing and throwing foam laser guns to the crowd. It's a ludicrous performance that imbues the crowd with the same crazy energy that its performers possess and managed to turn the small venue into a writhing mass of people that felt almost primal.
Openers Rusko and Sleigh Bells were equally impressive. Sleigh Bells, a Brooklyn duo that is quickly making a splash on the electro-pop scene, proved impressive with a sound that resembled an edgier Ratatat. As singer Alexis Krauss and guitarist Derek Miller strutted about the stage, and thrilled the crowd with their intensity in songs like "Crown On The Ground."
Additionally, Rusko, a New York-based DJ, wowed the audience with his impressive dubstep, where he led the crowd in a heavy-dancing, fist-shaking, bass-thumping set that brought the house down. He even showed up during Major Lazer's set to dance with Skerrit Bwoy himself.
If the point of party music is to inspire people to dance, then those seeking party music should look no further than these pioneers of the electronic genre. Google them, Facebook them, YouTube them, and get to know them if you want to surprise people at your next social gathering with something totally different, but still featuring the familiarity of any modern dance tune. As Skerritt Bwoy espoused from the stage, "We party every day, we don't care what people say."
4/7/2010 3:00 PM