Energy Alchemist

From the hills of Mendocino County, CA, Energy Alchemist has released its first full-length album on Beatport. Full of glitchy dubstep, heavy basslines, and even a touch of reggae-inspired melodies, A Moment of Clarity is an LP the group describes as “musical gold,” which makes sense for a band of alchemists. After listening to A Moment of Clarity, It’s not difficult to see what members Bill Hankins, Tommy Shannon, and Jared Gordon mean by gold—and clearly contributors Top Shelf, Selector Science, Kiran Music Project, and Dove from Black Rock City Allstars saw it, too. With such a large number of hands crafting this album, the raw energy was certainly there to create the alchemy that the group seeks.

Starting with “What Is,” Energy Alchemist quickly dives into a heavy, pulsing bassline and triumphant sirens. Spurts of sparkling synths give the track a spacey feel, as do a dose of wobble and a smattering of fast-paced drums.

Balancing grinding wobbles against a bouncing reggae guitar melody, Energy Alchemist meshes two very different sounds on tracks like “Hollow,” and “Freq of Nature.” “Hollow,” even employs a few vocal samples such as, “The wobble is one manifestation that many people have noticed. They don’t know what to make of it,” that then lead into—you guessed it—more harsh wobbles.

And by using samples from Top Shelf’s 2011 album The Sound, Energy Alchemist really ups the reggae feel on “Moonlights (Night Patrol),” “Grace Awakes,” and “We Still Burn,” with Top Shelf’s smooth vocals, making sure to contrast the smoothness with blistering glitchy wobbles, bouncing guitar melodies, and more vocal samples.

A driving synth melody on “Just Ask,” is accompanied by crashing bass, cymbals, and bubbling synths that lend more back to the spacey feel of “What Is,” than to the reggae feel of some of the other tracks. Similarly, “Sweatin’ Bangers,” starts with ominous strings and transitions into a glitchy melody that leans more toward the galactic vibe of earlier tracks.

Ending with “Sunburst (Kiran Notez Remix),” featuring Selector Science, Energy Alchemist brings together a simple piano melody, banging cymbals, airy synths, groaning wobbles, and many vocal samples including a very distinct ‘uh-oh.’ Balancing reggae influences and a strong love of pulsating wobbly glitch, Energy Alchemist’s debut is a great start with a host of energetic contributors. Simply put, as the group describes it on their Facebook page, “Close your eyes, open your mind, and watch the alchemy take place.” - The Untz

GruntWorthy and Groove Style Entertainment are proud to present The Elevated Frequencies Tour 2011, featuring...

Bird of Prey (All except for Reno & Park City)
**************** [Addictech]
[soundcloud.com/bird-of-prey](http://soundcloud.com/bird-of-prey)

Knowa Knowone (All)
**************** [Street Ritual, SF]
[soundcloud.com/knowa](http://soundcloud.com/knowa)

Carly-D vs. Dr.Knobz (All)
**************** [GruntWorthy, SF]
[soundcloud.com/carly-d](http://soundcloud.com/carly-d)
soundcloud.com/dr-knobz

Black Rock City Allstars (All)
*************** [GruntWorthy / Made in Glitch, Reno]
[soundcloud.com/black-rock-city-allstars](http://soundcloud.com/black-rock-city-allstars)

Energy Alchemist (All except SF)
***************[GruntWorth y]
[soundcloud.com/energyalchemist1](http://soundcloud.com/energyalchemist1)

Tyeze (SF, Reno, Park City)
***************[T.E.C. Opticks]
[soundcloud.com/tyeze](http://soundcloud.com/tyeze)

Sporeganic (All except Denver & Fort Collins)
***************[Street Ritual]
[soundcloud.com/sporeganic](http://soundcloud.com/sporeganic)

August 13 – Mission Control, Los Angeles, CA

Event Page: facebook.com/event.php?eid=189570777772589

10-11:30PM EA
11:30PM-1AM BRCA
1-2:30AM Knowa Knowone
2:30-3:30AM Bird of Prey
3:30-5AM Carly D/Dr. Knobz
5-Close Sporeganic

August 16 – Catalyst Nightclub, Santa Cruz, CA, 18+
Address: 1011 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Event Page: facebook.com/event.php?eid=229312807105667

Presales :
catalyst.inhousetickets.com/even ... 0Atrium%29

8-8:45PM Sporeganic
8:45-9:30PM EA
9:30-10:30PM BRCA
10:30-11:15PM Bird of Prey
11:15-12AM Knowa
12-1AM Carly D & Dr. Knobz

August 17 – Supperclub, SF
Address: 657 Harrison St, San Francisco, California 94107

Event Page: facebook.com/event.php?eid=122198494541761

9-9:45PM Sporeganic
9:45-10:30PM Tyeze
10:30-11:15PM Black Rock City Allstars
11:15-12AM Bird of Prey
12-12:45AM Knowa Knowone
12:45-2AM Carly-D & Dr.Knobz

August 18 – Fresh Bakin @ Wurk
Address: 514 W. Commercial Way, Reno, NV

Event Page: facebook.com/event.php?eid=196203970437990

10-11PM Tyeze
11PM-12AM Energy Alchemist
12-1AM Sporeganic
1-2AM Black Rock City All Stars
2-3:30AM Knowa Knowone
3:30AM-Close Carly D B2B Dr. Knobz

August 19 – Audiowaska Productions @ Sidecar
Address: 333 Main Street, Park City, UT

Event Page: facebook.com/event.php?eid=179375218799376

8-9:30PM Energy Alchemist
9:30-11PM Tyeze
11PM-12:30AM Black Rock City All Stars
12:30-2AM Knowa Knowone
2-3:30AM Carly D B2B Dr. Knobz
3:30-5AM Sporeganic

August 20 – with David Starfire @ Cervantes
Address: 2637 Welton Street, Denver, CO

Event Page: facebook.com/event.php?eid=180838488650607
Presales: cervantesmasterpiece.com/show/detail/47546

8:30 - 9:15 Energy Alchemist
9:15 - 10 Black Rock
10 - 10:45 Carly D & Dr Knobz
10:45 - 11:30 Knowa Knowone
11:30 - 12:30 Bird of Prey
12:30 - 2 David Starfire

August 21 – Audiowaska Productions @ Hodi’s Half Note
Address: 167 North College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Event Page: facebook.com/event.php?eid=240091006031760

9-9:45PM Energy Alchemist
9:45-10:30PM Black Rock City
10:30-11:30PM Knowa Knowone
11:30PM-12:30AM Bird of Prey
12:30AM-Close?? Carly D B2B Dr. Knobz - Gruntworthy

Come out and show love January 28th for Energy Alchemist and their 1st full length album release “A Moment of Clarity” alongside the live electronic sounds of HoverKraft, Continuum (LA), BabyGranny, and Cyvere holding down the vibes with dubs from the UK and beyond.

Musically it will be a diverse night with glitch hop, deep bass, live funky electro, dubstep and downtempo. Gogo belly dancers from Toniq Vivant will be providing some great visual motions and we are also pleased to have the wonderful lighting of Artnow’s Creative Precision and some sick lasers from Nomadix.

“Energy Alchemist” is a collaborative musical talent influenced by music spanning genres ranging from electronic, metal, rock, dance, world, industrial and tribal fusing sounds to create a whole new audio experience….psychedelic dub-step meets glitchy trip-hop innovation.

HoverKraft is a live looping/production based project out of California’s SF Bay Area that was started by guitarist/producer Trey Howard. At this point it has developed in to an eclectic mix of mid-tempo glitch, fantasy wobbles, psydub, hip hop and Pink Floyd inspired astral guitar licks. Also playing in the project are Emily Taggart on vocals, Darin Lehman on Bass, Max Vernon on drums, and Raychel Rayd on ryhmes. Together they create a live performance environment with a live band on top of Trey’s live production on Ableton through his Apc-40.

Continuum (LA)- Featuring Ryan Aicklen solo set; Heavy bass lines, melodic segues, and banging beats embody what Continuum is all about. Taking the continuous feel of a DJ set and elevating it with live looping and instruments, this project always keeps the dance floor moving providing LIVE electro, dubstep, house, and breakbeats.

BabyGranny (formerly soRce) is a Producer/DJ/Promoter nestled in the humble town of Willits, at the heart of Mendocino County in Northern California. He puts together the lineup for a party the 2nd and 4th Saturday each month at Mendonesia Cafe called conGLOMer8 which features Bass-Music DJs.
His style breaks the mold of traditional dubstep and glitch-hop music by employing goofy, self-engineered sounds which he now calls Ice-Cream Crunk :)

On the Mic M.C. Nerd Nate!
All Year Long Nerd Nate Rocks the MIC from festivals to freestyles to Halloween to Christmas Parties. The Nerd can be heard all across California doing his thing. Combining originality and exclusive music cut for the dance floors with the hottest producers in Dubstep and Electro performing live Nate rocks out. Current gigs include playing with Trulio Disgracias (20 piece Jam band with Norwood Fisher of Fishbone), rapping at Perish 69(Hollywood) or doing dirty dirty dubstep Womp (Oakland’s 1000 per plus weekly party by House Nation) Nerd Nate rocks out. His message is simple love and have a good time.

HK Productions is really excited to collaborate with so many friends and have a great night!

Energy Alchemist http://energyalchemist/ .webs.com/

HoverKraft http://www.hoverkraft.org/

Continuum http://continuumlive.bandcamp.com/

BabyGranny http://soundcloud.com/babygranny

Nerd Nate http://youtube.com/nerdnate

Lights:

ArtnowSF (Creative Precision) http://artnowsf.com/wordpress/?page_id=1006

Nomadix http://www.nomadixproductions.com/

Toniq Vivant https://www.facebook.com/pages/Toniq-Vivant/354743467695

Tickets at Door:
$8 - carter • Jan 23, 12 artnowsf.com

The US electro-rock trio Energy Alchemist released the LP Ghost In The Machine on the 19th.

Energy Alchemist
A talented group of musicians with considerable experience behind them, as is evidenced in their latest album, an almost forty minutes – eight track release.

Bringing together a range of influences Energy Alchemist are able to reconvert those thoughts to intricately weaved compositions. Judicious creativity with electronics unifies stadium rock riffs and forceful percussion as the bass adroitly wavers between dub-step, funky-groove and out and out rock and roll, with the sparse vocals ably reflecting the sentiments of the songs allowing them to travel broadly both in individual pieces as well as in the totality of Ghost In The Machine, yet never loose the attention of the listener.

Energy Alchemist are an out-fit with much to offer the world of music and I look forward to hearing more of them over the coming years.

My pick of the release is the third track – An Unforseen Presence. - Tim @ http://emergingindiebands.com