Zorch

"Cosmic Gloss is a spectacle that would leave most in awe." - Diamond Atlas

"Cosmic Gloss is a spectacle that would leave most in awe." - Diamond Atlas

Joy was one of the recurring themes of this year's SXSW, and Austin's own playful, electronic rock duo Zorch served up more than a lot of bands. - Esquire

Joy was one of the recurring themes of this year's SXSW, and Austin's own playful, electronic rock duo Zorch served up more than a lot of bands. - Esquire

"Best Bands SXSW 2011...I strongly recommend you download Zorch's free demo from the band's website." - NPR

"Best Bands SXSW 2011...I strongly recommend you download Zorch's free demo from the band's website." - NPR

"A devastating live force when it exited the womb, winning hearts and crushing minds." - The Decibel Tolls

"A devastating live force when it exited the womb, winning hearts and crushing minds." - The Decibel Tolls

"Boasting shimmering sci-fi sounds, percussive acrobatics, and a strong inclination toward solid hooks....equal emphasis on the noise and the pop sides of the spectrum - Altered Zones

"Boasting shimmering sci-fi sounds, percussive acrobatics, and a strong inclination toward solid hooks....equal emphasis on the noise and the pop sides of the spectrum - Altered Zones

"Loud, dissonant and hectic in all the right ways...gleefully sporadic explosion of shimmering soundscapes doesn’t provide any room for complacency." - Paste

"Loud, dissonant and hectic in all the right ways...gleefully sporadic explosion of shimmering soundscapes doesn’t provide any room for complacency." - Paste

Zorch put me back in a good headspace with great efficiency. We were trying to catch Light Pollution (and were never successful) at Wave. Wave was packed with douches; my mellow severely harshed. Then, heading toward the back, we started hearing this Holy Fuck-esque spazz duo that, while suffering projection issues, were awesome to see live. That was Zorch, and they’re an Austin band. The type of math rock you’ll need a fuckin’ TI-83 for. Believe that. I also saw their music described somewhere as having a koala bear crap a rainbow on your brain. Believe that, too. You’ll see in the video that no one was paying attention to the band, which just confirms my aforementioned assumption about the vibe at Wave that night. But that’s okay, they got at least one disciple that night. I can’t wait to hear more. (Zorch on the MySpaces) - The Decibel Tolls

Zorch put me back in a good headspace with great efficiency. We were trying to catch Light Pollution (and were never successful) at Wave. Wave was packed with douches; my mellow severely harshed. Then, heading toward the back, we started hearing this Holy Fuck-esque spazz duo that, while suffering projection issues, were awesome to see live. That was Zorch, and they’re an Austin band. The type of math rock you’ll need a fuckin’ TI-83 for. Believe that. I also saw their music described somewhere as having a koala bear crap a rainbow on your brain. Believe that, too. You’ll see in the video that no one was paying attention to the band, which just confirms my aforementioned assumption about the vibe at Wave that night. But that’s okay, they got at least one disciple that night. I can’t wait to hear more. (Zorch on the MySpaces) - The Decibel Tolls

I have borne witness to several unexciting electronic acts this year that have led me to worry that all this new and ever-cheaper digital music equipment is utterly destroying the art of the live performance. Seeing a rapper whose DJ is literally just himself pushing play on his iPod -- something I've seen countless times in the past year -- is not only a tremendous beatdown, it also leads me to wonder why they don't save their audiences the discomfort of seeing them have to walk over to their personal audio devices to press "pause" between each number by just going ahead and playing the real album versions and then saving their voices by doing performance art or interpretive dance -- basically anything but the glorified karaoke they insist on thrusting upon hapless audiences.

After seeing Javelin "perform" at SXSW I swore to myself that I would never again go to see an electronic act again if I could help it. Because even a group with above-average recorded material, such as the Brooklyn duo, there is still not much that can be done to take their live performance to the next level -- with most of the sounds being so complex the group invariably does have to rely on just using large portions of their prerecorded music. Even their drummer, who was hitting an MPC with drum sticks (to appear more authentic?) didn't do much to convince me that he was actually the one creating the complex rhythms and not just up their pantomiming.

On the other hand there are bands like Austin's own Zorch, who performed at the Double Wide this past Saturday. While they did still rely on the use of a laptop in their live performance, it was minimal at best. For the most part the duo were able to pull off an impressive barrage of experimental electronic music with a setup of synths, keyboards, pedals, real live drums, and even an electronic autoharp. Seriously. But what I found most refreshing about the wall of sound the duo created is that it was challenging, complex, and unique enough to entertain even the snobbiest music fans/critics while at the same time coming off accessible enough to precipitate loads of uncontrollable booty-shaking by the drunken sorority chick/dudebro set who happen to stumble into a venue where the duo are performing.

Most of all Zorch is able to enliven a stale genre that for too long was rubbing its head raw on the glass ceiling. And to think, they pulled off this feat without use of a single iPod. What a novel approach. - Pegasus News

Austin, TX duo Zorch are ready and willing to fight Jenny Omnichord for supremacy of her namesake instrument. The '80s electronic instrument figures heavily in the band's psychedelic punk jams, replacing the guitars all together, giving these four tracks a fun, analog, chiptune vibe. The songs, with titles like "Crying During Circumcision is A Shame to the Whole Village," are mostly instrumental ? what few vocal incursions keyboardist Zac Trager and drummer Shmu (they both rock the omnichord) do make are mostly nonsensical. In fact, this demo EP is itself pretty schizophrenic, bumping back and forth between straight-ahead pop songwriting ("Zut Alore," "Morris the Loris") and weird, experimental noise ("Gimme the Axe"). Which road the duo go down when it actually comes time to make an album is anybody's guess, but given the excellent noise they're making here, I can't wait to find out. - Exclaim

Austin, TX duo Zorch are ready and willing to fight Jenny Omnichord for supremacy of her namesake instrument. The '80s electronic instrument figures heavily in the band's psychedelic punk jams, replacing the guitars all together, giving these four tracks a fun, analog, chiptune vibe. The songs, with titles like "Crying During Circumcision is A Shame to the Whole Village," are mostly instrumental ? what few vocal incursions keyboardist Zac Trager and drummer Shmu (they both rock the omnichord) do make are mostly nonsensical. In fact, this demo EP is itself pretty schizophrenic, bumping back and forth between straight-ahead pop songwriting ("Zut Alore," "Morris the Loris") and weird, experimental noise ("Gimme the Axe"). Which road the duo go down when it actually comes time to make an album is anybody's guess, but given the excellent noise they're making here, I can't wait to find out. - Exclaim

Austin, TX duo Zorch are ready and willing to fight Jenny Omnichord for supremacy of her namesake instrument. The '80s electronic instrument figures heavily in the band's psychedelic punk jams, replacing the guitars all together, giving these four tracks a fun, analog, chiptune vibe. The songs, with titles like "Crying During Circumcision is A Shame to the Whole Village," are mostly instrumental ? what few vocal incursions keyboardist Zac Trager and drummer Shmu (they both rock the omnichord) do make are mostly nonsensical. In fact, this demo EP is itself pretty schizophrenic, bumping back and forth between straight-ahead pop songwriting ("Zut Alore," "Morris the Loris") and weird, experimental noise ("Gimme the Axe"). Which road the duo go down when it actually comes time to make an album is anybody's guess, but given the excellent noise they're making here, I can't wait to find out. - Exclaim

It’s fitting that Austin's very own Zorch and Gentlemen Rogues open for Sunderland, U.K.’s Field Music tonight at Emo’s. Gentlemen Rogues have a knack for melodic, guitar-driven pop. Zorch’s synth-driven experimentalism is an avant-garde swirl of mind-bending atmospherics. And Field Music sits somewhere between the two, melding irresistibly melodic guitar hooks with a tasteful sampling of electronic influence.
Brothers Peter and David Brewis founded Field Music in 2005 with friend Andrew Moore, and after a touring stint, the band quickly drew comparisons to bands like the Futureheads. And even though the band’s real break came with the release of 2007’s “Tones of Town,” they've been on hiatus until this year.

But as those familiar with this year’s Field Music release, “Measures,” probably already know, the Brewis brothers will likely boast a grittier side on this Austin stop. Sure, the meticulous-yet-breezy arrangements make plenty of reappearances with songs like the orchestral, McCartney-esque title track. But it’s undeniable that some of the band’s latest tunes just downright, well, rock. “Each Time Is a New Time” blazes through blasts of blues riffs before drifting into a twinkly bridge, while "Effortlessly" bounces beneath melodies that take feel-good cues from some of classic rock’s best.

Still, for our money, we really just can't wait to shake our booties to the iridescent sonic strobe assault of Zorch's "Zut Alore!" - The Austinist

It’s fitting that Austin's very own Zorch and Gentlemen Rogues open for Sunderland, U.K.’s Field Music tonight at Emo’s. Gentlemen Rogues have a knack for melodic, guitar-driven pop. Zorch’s synth-driven experimentalism is an avant-garde swirl of mind-bending atmospherics. And Field Music sits somewhere between the two, melding irresistibly melodic guitar hooks with a tasteful sampling of electronic influence.
Brothers Peter and David Brewis founded Field Music in 2005 with friend Andrew Moore, and after a touring stint, the band quickly drew comparisons to bands like the Futureheads. And even though the band’s real break came with the release of 2007’s “Tones of Town,” they've been on hiatus until this year.

But as those familiar with this year’s Field Music release, “Measures,” probably already know, the Brewis brothers will likely boast a grittier side on this Austin stop. Sure, the meticulous-yet-breezy arrangements make plenty of reappearances with songs like the orchestral, McCartney-esque title track. But it’s undeniable that some of the band’s latest tunes just downright, well, rock. “Each Time Is a New Time” blazes through blasts of blues riffs before drifting into a twinkly bridge, while "Effortlessly" bounces beneath melodies that take feel-good cues from some of classic rock’s best.

Still, for our money, we really just can't wait to shake our booties to the iridescent sonic strobe assault of Zorch's "Zut Alore!" - The Austinist

The basics: Somewhere between the Casio splatter of Fuck Buttons and the red-lined abrasiveness of Lightning Bolt, this duo piles cacophonous layers of arpeggiated 8-bit synths, nonsensical chants, and distorted electric-piano chords over live drums that seemingly never stop running through fills—all of which sounds terrible in theory. Yet somehow it hangs together, a jittery, ever-morphing, improvisational mess that touches on everything from free jazz to psychedelic prog-rock to video game soundtracks without ever sounding like anything less than full-tilt insanity (with occasional breaks for rug-chewing introspection).
Fun fact: Indifferent to notions of “intellectual property,” Zorch offers up “stems” of its songs for free, making them available for anyone to remix and share.
Words to avoid: “Squeezing my mind-grapes.” “Nintendocore.”
Notable releases: Zorch’s self-titled demo is available for free in return for joining its mailing list. - AV Club/The Onion

The basics: Somewhere between the Casio splatter of Fuck Buttons and the red-lined abrasiveness of Lightning Bolt, this duo piles cacophonous layers of arpeggiated 8-bit synths, nonsensical chants, and distorted electric-piano chords over live drums that seemingly never stop running through fills—all of which sounds terrible in theory. Yet somehow it hangs together, a jittery, ever-morphing, improvisational mess that touches on everything from free jazz to psychedelic prog-rock to video game soundtracks without ever sounding like anything less than full-tilt insanity (with occasional breaks for rug-chewing introspection).
Fun fact: Indifferent to notions of “intellectual property,” Zorch offers up “stems” of its songs for free, making them available for anyone to remix and share.
Words to avoid: “Squeezing my mind-grapes.” “Nintendocore.”
Notable releases: Zorch’s self-titled demo is available for free in return for joining its mailing list. - AV Club/The Onion

Link:
http://rhythmsektion.com/?p=1226

Review:
To my personal delight, the local duo Zorch has finished their debut and I must say that I am impressed and feel like a proud papa to see these guys achieve such a musically forward recording. The four tracks showcase the versatility and creativity of the two with a wide variety of genre-bending expeditions. Their music is loud and aggressive at times but simultaneously travels between the frightening and the sublime.

Sam takes care of the drumming and channels a style that I would compare to a hybrid between Neil Peart and John Bonham, with insane timing switches and guh-duh-guh-duh-guh-duh-guh-duh rolls spraying rhythm all over your face kid. Zac takes care of the rest, that’s right kids the rest of that wall of sound is one guy. Zac uses a combination of vintage piano and moog madness with tasteful and creepy samples on another keyboard chaining through a mess of pedals and yummy brain melting buttons. The result is a unique type of music that I would liken to a marriage between Emerson Lake and Palmer and Satan. It is a dish best served loud so enjoy the recording on a good set of speakers, but make sure you go see these guys live, the record was tracked live and the show is just as amazing. My rating for Zorch’s debut is 4 our of 4 Beers.

Zut Alore!
This opening track makes me feel like a koala bear crapped a rainbow on my brain. Beautiful



Crying During Circumcision Is a Shame to the Whole Village

This track reminds me of riding a rusty shopping cart through a haunted insane asylum, truly frightening but in a badass Michael Miers kinda way.



Moris the Loris
This track reminds me of a rockin version of Emerson Lake and Palmer’s Welcome to the Show, but with chainsaws.



Gimme The Axe
The final track is still my personal favorite. It is a horror movie strapped to a rocket ship made out of guitars headed on a mission to blow up the sun.

I hope everyone enjoys these tunes as much as we do here at Tha Sek. Please visit these guys new website for a FREE copy of their songs and also for all you DJs out there, stems are available for remix…

http://www.zzoorrcchh.com/

And don’t forget about their myspace
- Rhythm Sektion

Link:
http://rhythmsektion.com/?p=1226

Review:
To my personal delight, the local duo Zorch has finished their debut and I must say that I am impressed and feel like a proud papa to see these guys achieve such a musically forward recording. The four tracks showcase the versatility and creativity of the two with a wide variety of genre-bending expeditions. Their music is loud and aggressive at times but simultaneously travels between the frightening and the sublime.

Sam takes care of the drumming and channels a style that I would compare to a hybrid between Neil Peart and John Bonham, with insane timing switches and guh-duh-guh-duh-guh-duh-guh-duh rolls spraying rhythm all over your face kid. Zac takes care of the rest, that’s right kids the rest of that wall of sound is one guy. Zac uses a combination of vintage piano and moog madness with tasteful and creepy samples on another keyboard chaining through a mess of pedals and yummy brain melting buttons. The result is a unique type of music that I would liken to a marriage between Emerson Lake and Palmer and Satan. It is a dish best served loud so enjoy the recording on a good set of speakers, but make sure you go see these guys live, the record was tracked live and the show is just as amazing. My rating for Zorch’s debut is 4 our of 4 Beers.

Zut Alore!
This opening track makes me feel like a koala bear crapped a rainbow on my brain. Beautiful



Crying During Circumcision Is a Shame to the Whole Village

This track reminds me of riding a rusty shopping cart through a haunted insane asylum, truly frightening but in a badass Michael Miers kinda way.



Moris the Loris
This track reminds me of a rockin version of Emerson Lake and Palmer’s Welcome to the Show, but with chainsaws.



Gimme The Axe
The final track is still my personal favorite. It is a horror movie strapped to a rocket ship made out of guitars headed on a mission to blow up the sun.

I hope everyone enjoys these tunes as much as we do here at Tha Sek. Please visit these guys new website for a FREE copy of their songs and also for all you DJs out there, stems are available for remix…

http://www.zzoorrcchh.com/

And don’t forget about their myspace
- Rhythm Sektion

Link:

http://hailingthephotongods.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/and-in-these-troubled-times-the-world-calls-upon-a-new-hero-zorch/

Review:

I have to say, Zorch as a name has a bit of a ’superhero-ish’ ring to it. Oddly enough, Zorch as a band, doesn’t have that different of a feel to them seeing as how they might just be the saving grace of electronically-charged music of overly avant nature.

Zorch is comprised of two men from Austin, Texas named Sam and Zac.

They recently recorded a demo containing four outstanding songs that carry with them something fresh and exciting.
Among the synthesizer/moog-fueled soundscapes and soundstreams exists an abrasive accompaniment of drums. This marriage of aural brilliance is sure to excite your indie music-loving nerves. Upon first listens, you may be reminded of another two-piece with erratic drum structure wrapped in soundclash, Lightning Bolt. Of course, that’s what I was reminded of. Some of you may think otherwise. Just the same, listen to this damn demo. It’s pretty damn good. It’s not too dramatic so it won’t alienate easy-going listeners but it’s just the right side of crazy to ensnare those of you who dwell in the more avant nooks and crannies of the universe.

Their demo can be downloaded at the band’s website, found here. Luckily enough, those of you who fit the description of an audiophile will be able to download it in formats superior to mp3 as well.

Also of note, if you wish to remix any of their songs, the stems of each track are available for download.
- the photon god.

Link:

http://hailingthephotongods.wordpress.com/2009/08/31/and-in-these-troubled-times-the-world-calls-upon-a-new-hero-zorch/

Review:

I have to say, Zorch as a name has a bit of a ’superhero-ish’ ring to it. Oddly enough, Zorch as a band, doesn’t have that different of a feel to them seeing as how they might just be the saving grace of electronically-charged music of overly avant nature.

Zorch is comprised of two men from Austin, Texas named Sam and Zac.

They recently recorded a demo containing four outstanding songs that carry with them something fresh and exciting.
Among the synthesizer/moog-fueled soundscapes and soundstreams exists an abrasive accompaniment of drums. This marriage of aural brilliance is sure to excite your indie music-loving nerves. Upon first listens, you may be reminded of another two-piece with erratic drum structure wrapped in soundclash, Lightning Bolt. Of course, that’s what I was reminded of. Some of you may think otherwise. Just the same, listen to this damn demo. It’s pretty damn good. It’s not too dramatic so it won’t alienate easy-going listeners but it’s just the right side of crazy to ensnare those of you who dwell in the more avant nooks and crannies of the universe.

Their demo can be downloaded at the band’s website, found here. Luckily enough, those of you who fit the description of an audiophile will be able to download it in formats superior to mp3 as well.

Also of note, if you wish to remix any of their songs, the stems of each track are available for download.
- the photon god.

Link:

http://daybowbow.net/2009/10/02/zorch/

Review:

Zorch is one of those bands, where you can’t quite put a finger on what genre to classify them as. At the first listen of the demo, it’s a hot mess (in a good way) of wild, almost metal drumming (triplets and double kicks included) with a synth driven melody and lyrics about a lizard ran society. Then, it goes straight into a prog heavy song with indistinguishable “lyrics” with breaks that wouldn’t be out of place on a Fela Kuti or electric period Davis record. Throw in some Rhodes, some drone and some free jazz drum fills and you got yourself a clusterfuck of awesome. If you’re in the Austin area this weekend for ACL, be sure to check the duo out at Red 7 for free on Sunday at an ACL afterparty. - daybowbow.net

Link:

http://daybowbow.net/2009/10/02/zorch/

Review:

Zorch is one of those bands, where you can’t quite put a finger on what genre to classify them as. At the first listen of the demo, it’s a hot mess (in a good way) of wild, almost metal drumming (triplets and double kicks included) with a synth driven melody and lyrics about a lizard ran society. Then, it goes straight into a prog heavy song with indistinguishable “lyrics” with breaks that wouldn’t be out of place on a Fela Kuti or electric period Davis record. Throw in some Rhodes, some drone and some free jazz drum fills and you got yourself a clusterfuck of awesome. If you’re in the Austin area this weekend for ACL, be sure to check the duo out at Red 7 for free on Sunday at an ACL afterparty. - daybowbow.net