"With Portland sextet Abronia, you sort of have to listen past the spectacle. Forget about the overtly Jodorowsky-Morricone vibes, the tenor sax and the pedal steel guitar, the contralto vocals, the gigantic bass drum, the legend of co-founder Eric Crespo's desert vision. What's really going on here?"
"But no, there's something about Abronia's music that demands its spectacle. There's a union of content and form here, perfectly matched. The music blends its elements beautifully, like a really good batch of chili, the kind with several different kinds of peppers and beans and meats and maybe even a bit of sweet corn or okra."
"The tenor sax and the contralto vocals are one person, co-founder Keelin Mayer, sounding about halfway between Jim Morrison and Bettina Köster (of the German post-punk band Malaria!, an important point of reference for Abronia's whole soundworld). To my ear Mayer's sax playing sounds a lot like David Bowie's."
Abronia is a Portland sextet that creates music demanding attention through its theatrical presentation and sonic complexity. The band combines unconventional instrumentation including tenor saxophone, pedal steel guitar, contralto vocals, and a large bass drum to craft a distinctive sound. Co-founder Keelin Mayer performs both saxophone and vocals, drawing influences from post-punk and psychedelic traditions. The music blends multiple elements seamlessly, creating an atmospheric experience reminiscent of artists like David Bowie and German post-punk band Malaria!. Their new album 'Shapes Unravel' showcases this carefully constructed union of form and content.
Read at Oregon ArtsWatch * Arts & Culture News
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