Patois is a dub/surf pop band based out of Brooklyn and Chicago that is the brainchild of musicians Grant Bauley and Karl Morse. Their latest self titled album is the result of an eventful summer spent recording in a family friend's cottage in central Virginia. One year later, the duo emerged with an amazing record filled with an original blend of dubbed-out surf pop.
The music these two create together is a consummation of styles and traditions they've immersed themselves in over years of performing live and listening obsessively. Patois' aesthetic is very much connected to their eclectic taste; psychedelic dub, American roots music, and tremolo westerns. Their unique recording process only parallels this aggregation of influences, in which they accumulated a roster of distinct guest musicians -- each bringing their own experience to the project.
While 'Observer' sounds like a dusty 1970's Jamaican 45' you'd find in the used section of your record store, 'Turncoat' could be a lost gem of 1950's rockabilly, and 'Elders' is probably the first ever dub-infused interpretation of George McCrea's 'I Get Lifted', which The Notorious B.I.G. sampled for his track 'Respect' off his landmark album Ready to Die. The addition of vocalist Denitia Odigie only solidifies the group's place within the pop world, truly cementing their ability to traverse an expansive scope of styles.
Whereas some groups suffer from attempting to incorporate many musical genres to appeal to more listeners, Patois has managed to cleverly leverage their influences to produce their own cohesive sound. Both veterans of the central Virginia music scene, the two have paid their dues playing in a variety of musical situations, including Garage-Soul, Afrobeat, Rock, Hip Hop/Electronic Pop, Bluegrass, Big Band and Free Jazz. Throughout the album it is evident that they are capable of paying homage to these influences honestly. Imagine if dub-reggae legend King Tubby got hold of the new Danger Mouse 'Rome' project and combined that with the working aesthetic of Broken Social Scene or The Cinematic Orchestra. Patois have crafted a niche for themselves where any reference is valid and a vast musical landscape has been laid to build upon.
Click their artist link to download the album for free
Patois Elders from William Pence on Vimeo.
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