Phantogram and Junk Culture – Great Scott – Feb 9, 2010

Great Scott filled up Tuesday with folks excited to see the second night of Together: The New England Electronic Music Festival.  The stellar bill did not disappoint.

Buzzing ambient electronic noise and a collage of psychedelic patterns took over as the silhouette of Junk Culture appeared on stage.  Junk Culture’s sole member, Deepak Mantena, took the crowd through a colorful adventure ranging from warm layers of lo-fi hiss to pumping glitch-filled electro. It was like watching a mad scientist as Mantena brought his debut EP West Coast to life.

Check out the video for Junk Culture’s “West Coast”

Phantogram followed, immediately winning over the crowd with the more-than-danceable dream pop of “Mouthful of Diamonds”.   The Saratoga Springs-based duo, i.e. Sarah Barthel (keyboards, vocals) and Josh Carter (guitar, vocals), transported the audience with a multi-sensory set;  projected visuals danced in sync with the resonant beats as they played some of the delicious tracks off their debut album Eyelid Movies.

Like the lowercase phantogram (an optical illusion in which a two-dimensional image appears to be 3-D), the pair manages to pull off unexpected depth, layering elements to create an otherworldly atmosphere.  As they closed with their single “When I’m Small” (stream it below), no one in the room appeared ready to depart.

Phantogram’s live show lived up to their awesome release of Eyelid Movies; we just wish we could put their show on repeat, too.

Phantogram – When I’m Small

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[Photography by Steven Boyle]

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