Recording: Aurochs

Artist: Aurochs

Songs: [opening sections from two sets]

Recorded at The Tranzac (Southern Cross Lounge), February 10, 2015.

Aurochs - [set 1, first piece]

Aurochs - [set 2, first piece]

It was probably not too much of a surprise to see Aurochs playing as a quintet, with Ali Berkok (piano, accordion), Pete Johnston (double bass) and Jake Oelrichs (percussion) joined by occasional fill-in and general co-conspirator Mike Smith, playing an assemblage of effects pedals bundled together into a sort of analog synthesizer. Throughout the night he would add subtle extensions to the others' sounds, from dub-style echo to ambient expansions. To give a little taste of what Smith was up to, here's the opening section of each of the night's two sets, with Berkok on accordion.

[You can hear some longer extracts from the night over on the band's soundcloud page. And do note that the group is playing the Tranzac again tonight (Saturday, February 14th) for a special all-standards Valentine's Day set.]