Altered Zones

[photo by Erez Avissar]

The Present, not to be confused with the situational factors of time and place that seem to surround you, is project of husband and wife duo Rusty Santos and Mina Ohashi. If the name Rusty Santos sounds familiar, it’s likely due to his vastly influential production work with Animal Collective and/or Panda Bear.

Presented here for your listening pleasure is “Battaki,” an obtuse and emotive interpretation of an Ainu folk song, whose title literally translates to “Grasshopper Dance.” The refreshingly uncomplicated synthesizer melody that kicks off the track is joined by the emphatic swells of percussion and meteoric vocals that guide the listener through the seamlessly blended, ever-innovating melodies. Nothing seems to be in proper pop music order or fall quite where it belongs; the result is stylized, multifaceted, and vibrant. A brief interlude signals the track’s transition into a more fluid state in which the rhythm grows more abstract and ultimately bows to an organic feel that mirrors the climactic stages of some unseen communal dance. Since no dance lessons are included, so we suggest you just go with it. --Luke Carrell, International Tapes

MP3: The Present: "Battaki"

Listen to more from The Present on Soundcloud and look for additional singles and remixes this summer as they gear up for a full-length release in the fall. For those in New York City, be sure to check them out live June 28th at Union Pool