Martes 26 Oct 2010, 15:01

Sat 23 Oct – DJ Spooky, Joshua Roman, odeonquartet

This night’s performance at the Triple Door was a dialogue between classical and electronic music. DJ Spooky is known for his chill trip hop, philosophical demeanor, and as a founder of “illbient” sound. Joshua Roman is a local cello prodigy who became the youngest principal player in Seattle Symphony’s history at 22, only to leave in 2008 to pursue a solo career. Tonight was a dialogue between the different shades and sides of their music and instruments.

Spooky joked about how this evening was a different mood than a usual club setting but explained how tonight was going to be a meditation on landscape, solitude, and space. The music was mostly inspired by Spooky’s recent trip to the North Pole, where he was struck by the lack of ice; how the boat ride was an incredibly eerie experience, floating over places where there should be ice. Spooky’s goal was to show the reflection of music on the shapes created by ice, which the classical elements of the night contributed to the depth of the shapes. The juxtaposition between the cello and the electronica wasn’t about how different they were but how smoothly they worked together, how the complete different styles of instruments created a beautiful blend showcasing each other’s subtleties.

The night ended with an exciting cover of Radiohead’s ‘Everything in its Right Place,’ where Spooky mixed with heavy beats while Roman sang Thom Yorke’s vocals with his cello. It was a thrilling and haunting version of the classic song.DJ Spookyjoshua roman