Though the only actual instrument played onstage was a drum kit, Death Grips were by far the most brutal and heavy act of the weekend, having more in common with hardcore than hip-hop. Zach Hill played ferociously over programmed electronics while Stefan Burnett raged on the mic. I couldn’t make out most of Burnett’s lyrics, but that really didn’t matter. The intensity of his performance communicated all you needed to know, and whatever you make of the aesthetic value of this music, it is undeniably visceral. It was a piercing aural assault that led to a sizable mosh pit and the Orange Peel’s floor shaking. Tim Hecker and Daniel Lopatin’s ambient synth set after provided a nice comedown.
It was more odd going from Killer Mike to hear Morton Subtonick perform, but the 79-year-old Subtonick turned in one of the most radical and innovative sets of the festival, touching on his seminal “Silver Apples of the Moon” and other works on a classic analog synth. The sounds he made were by turns gorgeous, jarring, and creepy, and the live video creations added quite a bit.
Here’s insidevandy.com’s take on Moogfest. A bit:
Genre bending dub queen Santigold’s set on Saturday night had the entire arena singing and dancing, and she even pulled select members of the audience onstage to dance with her and her band during their performance of her debut album single “Creator.”
And a Moogfest review from consequensofsound.net. Here’s their take on Black Moth Super Rainbow:
Amid a backdrop of a decaying playground, Black Moth Super Rainbow blended the psychedelia of nostalgic analog electronic instruments with the power of guitar-led rock music. Outfit leader Tobacco added yet another element of psych depth with other-wordly vocoder vocals. The set was a demonstration on the longevity of synthesizers. At the fingertips of the right group of individuals, the sounds of dated analog technology are timeless when attacked with a densely layered groove. The five-piece fit right into the experimental focus of Asheville, which is possibly why the line to experience their show stretched for a city block.
Paste Magagzine’s Moogfest recap here:
Coasting through performances by Four Tet and then Shpongle, Moogfest closed out in a haze of glittering lights and synthy electronic beats just as one would expect. Once again, Asheville had delivered a weekend full of new musical discoveries along with a celebration of old favorites.