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Cosby Sweater Gets Lucky
Camp Bisco 12 Artist Spotlight: Cosby Sweater Turn In A Funked Out Rework Of Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ from whiteraverrafting.com.com | Words By Tyler Almodovar
As many of you may know, Camp Bisco is only 79 days away and that means one thing: It’s time to start thinking about which artists you can’t miss. I know the bill is stacked with both established and up-and-coming talent – with a phase two lineup coming on April 26 - but don’t worry. Through a series of Artist Spotlight articles I’ll help you make some decisions. I begin with Cosby Sweater, a trio made up of David Embry, Nicholas Gerlach, and Richard Floyd and a definite must see act at CB12.
Although you may not be familiar with them, this group is taking live electronic dance music to the next level. With David in charge of live mixing, vocals, and production, Nicholas jamming on the saxophone, EWI, or keys and Richard hammering away on the drums, you’ll surely get your fix of glitch-hop, funk, electro, jazz, and more. The trio have a diverse style, which will make their CB12 performance fresh, interesting, and surprising. Their debut album ‘Hey Girl Hey’ offers sounds that break boundaries and dip into many different genres - feel free to stream it at the end of the article.
David, Nicholas, and Richard’s most recent offering is a remix of Daft Punk, Nile Rodgers, andPharrell‘s ‘Get Lucky’. I know what you’re thinking, but listen to it with an open mind because you’ll quickly find that this electro-funk infused rework is pure art.
I’ll be the first to tell you that hours after ‘Get Lucky’ was officially release – and even before it was released – I received a massive amount of remixes, edits, and bootlegs to my inbox. It takes time to sort the bad from the good, and the good from the great. But in my opinion Cosby Sweater’s version is incomparable. They keep the West Coast vibe of the original and mix their funky synth lines around each set of vocals without saturating them in more modern sounds. If you like what you hear you should explore Cosby Sweater’s SoundCloud and when the set times are released in the weeks to come, don’t forget to clear your Camp Bisco calendar.
Sit-In & Dance Party in Chicago
Cosby Sweater is excited to announce 3 dates for a Sit-In & Dance Party at the Tonic Room in Chicago, IL starting tomorrow, March 16th, and returning on April 19th and May 18th. The March 16th show will feature sit-ins from Joe Hettinga and Marcus Rezak of Digital Tape Machine, with My Boy Elroy of DTM opening. Visit our tour dates for details on all shows.
Review of Vic Theatre Show w/Conspirator
Cosby Sweater is barely a year old, if even, and they are exploding onto the scene swiftly and with the utmost class. The trio form Indianapolis, IN resembles Big Gigantic in that they infuse electronic synths and sounds with a live drummer and the use of a saxophone. But Cosby Sweater has a variety that Big Gigantic is lacking. We all loved Dominic and Jeremy when they came out with their new approach to electronic music but as a lot of electro producers do, they fell victim to the overuse of dubstep and wobble with their newer material. Although Cosby Sweater is new and we have yet to see their progression, I don’t see this happening with them because of their use of multi-genre tracks and true exploration outside the box that fans have yet to hear. Live, these guys are amazing; they know the crowd, no matter what size, is completely committed to enjoying what they are playing on stage. Read the full article here. To view photos from the show, click here.
With Joel Cummins this Summer
Cosby Sweater will be bringing their signature sound to some of the biggest festivals in the country this summer. The group recently announced that they will be pairing with Umphrey’s McGee keyboardist Joel Cummins at Electric Forest Festival. On top of that appearance, the group also announced this week that they will be appearing with Joel at the Summercamp and Camp Bisco.
2013 Dates Added
Cosby Sweater has announced new tour dates for 2013, including Umphrey’s McGee and STS9 after shows in West Virginia and Missouri. The band has been touring consistently opening for headliners like Pretty Lights, Minnesota, and Digital Tape Machine. The upcoming dates include a return trip to Denver, Colorado for the Unified Field at Cervantes, along with Midwest stops in Urbana, Cincinannati, Kalamazoo, St. Louis, Athens, Traverse City, and a show at home in Indy on February 16th at the Mousetrap. More dates will be released soon. The trio is also working on yet another album that will be released in early 2013.
The Christmas Sweater
We have been working tirelessly the last few months to provide you with quality Christmas music to dance to, love to, and sing to with your family this holiday season. Now the time is finally here. Cosby Sweater would like to announce the release of “The Christmas Sweater Vol. 1″ on December 6th, 2012. The CD release party will be held at the Vogue Theater in Indianapolis, IN on that same date. The album features remixes of old classics as well as modern interpretations of some of your favorite holiday songs. From Electro-house/Dubstep to Hip-hop and Nu-Disco, this Christmas album will be sure to please. Available for free download, this album could be a great stocking stuffer as well. Either way, Seasons Greetings from Cosby Sweater. And if you can’t wait ’til December 6th, go ahead and checkout our promo video. Click Here
Review of Pretty Lights
Most shows during the middle of the week on a brisk fall evening wouldn’t even come close to selling out, but an event headlined by Pretty Lights isn’t like most shows. The Indy Mojo event featuring PL, Eliot Lipp, Paul Basic, and Cosby Sweater nearly did sell out and proved to be a special night for attendees. Local act Cosby Sweater kicked off the evening, but due to odd restrictions drummer Richard “Sleepy” Floyd(also of The Native Sun) wasn’t allowed to join the rest of the trio. That didn’t stop David Embry(also of Embryonic Fluid) and Nicholas Gerlach(also of The Twin Cats) from putting on an amazing set. Cosby forged ahead with an eclectic mixture of Embry churning out heavy electronic beats and Gerlach’s perfectly timed usage of both the Tenor Saxophone and EWI(electronic wind instrument). The jazz element was a perfect compliment to the electro-paced tempo. It was clear the two were having fun, which fueled the energy of the amassing crowd. Cosby Sweater’s one-two punch of “Indiana Song” and their remix of Outkast’s “So Fresh & So Clean” sent the crowd into a dance frenzy, setting the tone for the rest of the evening. Their set was solid, despite the absence of a drummer.
Next up was Paul Basic, a fellow member of PL’s record label, Pretty Lights Music. Basic flowed seamlessly between up tempo melodies with intricate bass chops, down tempo beats, and heavy dub build ups and breakdowns. Pretty Lights’ influence on his music was obvious, but lacked the pizzaz of PL’s showmanship and stage setup. The highlight Basic’s set was his remix of I Monster’s “Daydream in Blue.” Basic was followed by fellow Pretty Lights Music artist Eliot Lipp, no stranger to the EDM community. Lipp’s set showed a new side of his musical prowess. Normally, his music features only down tempo beats, but this set included quicker tempos with breaks containing jazz elements. I was impressed with how Lipp’s music has evolved over the years. His nearly perfect set perfectly primed the crowd for Pretty Lights.
After a short intermission, it was time for Pretty Lights to wow the crowd musically and visually. His awe-inspiring stage setup is the best in the business and equally as impressive as his musical production. From the start, his music featured perfectly mixed components of blues, rock & roll, and hip hop. The beautiful melodic grooves were highlighted with perfectly executed use of lasers, lights, and his projection screen stage setup. His mixing of Jay-Z and Notorious B.I.G’s tracks and laser blasts filling the room took the crowd to another dimension. I was wowed by his perfectly produced cocktail of melodic grooves, high energy beats, and well-executed breaks during this part of the show. These elements in conjunction with his stage presence and amazing stage setup culminated in the best live presentation of electronic music currently being produced. It is easy to forget about the incredible projection setup with all of the lights and lasers flashing above, until your eyes look toward the stage and witness the visual insanity taking place. PL pushed the boundaries further during “Finally Moving”, relentlessly pushing the music and his light show faster and harder. This fueled the crowd, who welcomed the increasing intensity by dancing like fools, present company included.
The second half of his set featured newly produced music. His new tracks contained dark and spooky bass drops to contrast bright and happy melodies, sounding somewhat different from past PL work. I enjoyed the new stuff very much. It featured tight breaks, the dirty bass was pleasingly raunchy, and mixes were very crisp. It is clear he has mastered his signature sound, but isn’t afraid to explore different avenues in his music. Furthermore, PL’s new stuff included glitch hop elements. It sounded different from his past work, but equally as impressive. In typical fashion, his glitches were well executed and perfectly timed. He was a true maestro, using his music to manipulate his audience beautifully. Honestly, it was one of the best dance parties I’ve ever been a part of or witnessed. Indy Mojo created the perfect event with every artist delivering incredible music, especially Pretty Lights and Cosby Sweater. I’ll definitely be attending Cosby Sweater’s upcoming show with Digital Tape Machine on December 6, also an Indy Mojo event. Don’t miss out on this event, it is the cd release party for Cosby Sweater and will surely be another dance amazing dance party.
Review of Pretty Lights w/Cosby Sweater, Paul Basic, and Eliot Lipp @ Old National Centre Egyptian Room-Indianapolis, IN 11/14/12 from IndiMojo.com
Cosby Out West
Cosby Sweater is excited to announce our first 4 Colorado shows coming up next month, with two shows supporting Minnesota. We couldn’t be more excited to be on a bill with Minnesota. Come see us at Agave in Avon,CO on Friday, Dec. 21st and The Tap House in Steamboat Springs, CO on Saturday, December 22nd. Before those two shows, come see us in Denver at Cervantes’ Other Side on Wednesday, December 19th, and at Ullr’s Tavern in Winter Park, CO on Thursday, December 20th. We can’t wait to give the Rockies a taste of Cosby Sweater. Come get some.
Opening for Pretty Lights on Nov. 14th
After one amazing summer of festivals, the band has started gaining momentum moving into fall tour. Cosby Sweater will be opening for Pretty Lights in Indianapolis, IN at The Egyptian Room on November 14, 2012. Elliot Lipp and Paul Basic are also performing. This show is an amazing opportunity for the band and we are truly honored to be part of it. For more information, head over to Pretty Lights’ website by clicking here.
“Hey Girl Hey” Official Release
Cosby Sweater is extremely excited to announce the release of our first album, “Hey Girl Hey,” as a free release on Bandcamp. Starting Friday, July 13th, you can download a free copy of this album by clicking here. Unfortunately, our 5 copies of the limited release 8-track (with only 7 tracks) sold out within 2 minutes, so you’ll have to settle on the free download. Bummer, right? Dive into these 7 new tracks to help ease the pain of not being able to listen to this work of art in the privacy of your ’66 Ford Mustang. We promise you that “Hey Girl Hey” will not disappoint.