I’ll be honest with you, although Papadosio is perhaps the most talked about band this year, it took a while for me to let go of some of my preconceived notions on electronic jam bands these days and give them a shot. People were packed into the barn stage for their set, sweat dripping off of everyone’s foreheads, as Papadosio looked on in amazement at the overflowing crowd singing along to their songs. You could feel the connection between the band and their audience, and in that moment, Papadosio’s spotlight got a little brighter.
Their songwriting retains the mentality of a modern jam band – guitar riffs combine with synths to follow comfortable patterns and poppy, folk-like lyrics, and harmonies serve the band well. The distinction is that Papadosio blankets their rockin’ jam sound with creative drumming and a techno, trancelike ambience that pulls from all over the musical map. Sometimes they’re a little mellow, creating sparkling, beautiful soundscapes. Other times Papadosio is more raw, breaking down with interesting samples, heavy synths and loud, screaming guitars. Sometimes they mix it all together in one track, leaving layers to unfold as the song ticks on. They’re like Dirty Paris but better, and far more interesting. Each song takes a different approach from the last, introducing you to new textures and sounds (while maintaining that electro-jam backbone), and creating an entirely unique, track by track experience. All I can say is watch out for this band. The hype surrounding them is anything but a bunch of talk. Here’s a small clip of them playing “Unparalyzer” of their 2008 EP By The Light of The Stars:
journalism by M E G A L O M A N D E E