Blue States grooves

Blue States
Tonight
Satyricon
125 N.W. Sixth Ave.
503-243-2380

Blue States might be the perfect post V-day show. Basically one Brit named Andy Dragazis, Blue States creates lush, sensual electronic grooves filled with live instrumentation. His music is perfect for a dinner date in or a mellow night out.

Blue States’ full length album Nothing Changes Under the Sun was released in 2001 on the Thievery Corporation’s Eighteenth Street Lounge label. Its subtle grooves and melody are the sort that grow on the listener. It is very cinematic, but good for focused listening as well. There are parts just catchy enough to warrant repeated listening.

Repeated exposure reveals flowing guitars, sprinkles of Hammond and Rhodes organ and live drums. The rhythmic foundation is more akin to slower rock grooves than a straight-ahead boom-boom clack hip-hop style groove. At times the overall feel of the music is reminiscent of Chicago’s Tortoise. Some songs are slightly funky, others push ahead hard and some just kind of bounce. Most songs stay true to the genre and are built around a couple loops, but many are more structured. Stuttered, driving drumbeats and well-planned harmonies reaffirm the fact that it’s the warm, organic sounds that makes this album great.

All songs are instrumental except one, “Your Girl,” which contains the reassuring line, “If you want me for your girl, all you have to do is see, that you’re not the boy for me.”

Dragazis got his start doing more upbeat electronic out of his home and shopping demos. He still doesn’t consider himself a downtempo “lounge” artist. A few EP’s were released on the UK label Memphis-Industries, who released Nothing Changes in the UK.

Thoroughly impressed with his debut, ESL Music released the album as a domestic title in the United States. They also released a strong 12″ entitled Walkabout, featuring remixes by ESL artists Thunderball and Desmond Williams.

Dragazis has also completed a remix for UK singer/songwriter Badly Drawn Boy, and plans on releasing more material stateside soon.

This winter tour is his second outing with a full band and if all goes well, Blue States’ set should be enjoyable. Blue States play Satyricon tonight. Call the club for more info.