Written By: Chris Parsons
DT ROTBOT is New York’s eclectic, experimental/psych duo-turned-trio, with the recent addition of a permanent drummer. To-date the project has released two 4-track EPs– 2010’s “Learning How to Dance” and 2012’s self-titled release– as they look forward to adding a third extended-play to their discography– “Who Would You Kill Four Angela Vickers”– another four tracks, planned for release by April 2013. The group seems verily capable at exploring and engaging the listener in mini-concept album material, condensed in the short span of about 20 minutes. But all of the energy and attention to detail is assuredly there; in fact, that’s where DT ROTBOT shine, blending stark intricacies into beautiful, pulsating soundscapes as their auditory signature traverses many genres and draws associations with loosely familiar contemporaries.
Any listener can easily grasp this ambiance by just picking up DT ROTBOT‘s latest self-titled EP. The opening track “Take Me to the Bazaar” starts off very sparse with a stop-time, yet smoothly pulsating guitar, riffing on a tight, tremolo-picked pattern as the main vocals croon overtop. These original vocals are soon joined by backing vox in a call-and-answer effect that lends depth to the open sound as the drums softly thump out a muffled groove. Usually, the great American “power trios” these days vie for an epic loudness and wall-of-sound, yet DT ROTBOT are careful to leave most of their channels relatively “clean,” still managing at times to accomplish textured collages, usually built into the chorus in juxtaposition to the more “roomy” verses. The chorus on “Take Me to the Bazaar” even slips briefly into a different feel from earlier in the track, brandishing an upbeat, almost circus-like freak-out dissonance.
On “Shoes I Wore,” the trio begin jamming on a very somber note, taking the mood down, for at least a moment, just before slipping into a psychedelically jazzy detour that totally reeks of Frank Zappa’s crazily catchy and influential recordings with The Mothers of Invention. The chorus explosions on this track are particularly grand and riveting, with sounds of lasers shooting out into the shimmering hyperspace. The rolling lyrics are even executed in a fun, kind of sing-songy groove that rush up and down, eventually cooling off into a more lax sound once again. “Electric Light” also seems to give off subtle jazz undertones as the instrumentals pulse in a snaking, “off” tempo, and the doubled vocals float over the top in verses, as the bass and drums gradually crescendo, pushing the song into a hard rock groove erupting with beautiful harmonies.
The closing track, “Lily,” is interestingly bridged by more instrumental segments, highlighted by an upbeat bass and guitar groove and jazz drumming accents, which accumulate naturally, sizzling into the jerky, rocking stop-time verses. Even if the story arc is lost to you upon first listen, it’s clear that DT ROTBOT exude a naturally captivating ambiance, and penchant for blending eclectic influences and creative storytelling. Jazz, perhaps especially in its weirder, “free-er” forms, seems to be a major backbone to DT ROTBOT‘s experimental style, especially with the addition of their steady percussionist hanging in for the latest sessions. We are very much looking forward to following this band as they inch closer to realizing their expected 2013 release coming this April!