All this week, the Song of the Day will profile performing artists at this weekend’s Austin Psych Fest
Somewhere in the far-out, Seussian world where art, music, rock and roll and electronica meet, you’ll find the Octopus Project. It doesn’t matter how many seasons the band puts between themselves and their formation back in 2002, the band has never lost that wide-eyed weirdness and sense of artistic adventure that made them such a compelling act in the first place. In 2010, the Austin outfit one-upped themselves with the release of the ambitious, multi-media exploration Hexadecagon. Using custom-built surround-sound stereo equipment and synchronized video installations, the Octopus Project created a record that you don’t just listen to, you experience.
But the band is just as comfortable crafting a chirpy pop tune as they are pushing boundaries. Last year’s Fever Forms found the band melding their bright-eyed electronica with a rock band’s sense of power and showmanship. Album closer “Sharpteeth” chugs along like a runaway train, using a combination of synthesizers and a live drum kit to propel the song. With just a few chords as the foundation, the band creates a symphony of sound that’s experimental without being too brainy. The Octopus Project bring a refreshing gleefulness to psychedelia–more in line with the subgenre’s youthful roots.
Catch the Octopus Project in the Levitation Tent on Saturday, May 3 at 7:30pm
