As music production software has become so easily accessible, artists have accordingly taken advantage of the opportunity to create texturally complex sounds and percussion-based tracks known loosely as “beats.” Taking an atmospheric approach, the often instrumental music is hard to define, but borrows much from jazz with its’ varied instrumentation and idiosyncratic structure. Events such as Los Angeles’ Low End Theory club night have helped break through many artists like Flying Lotus, The Gaslamp Killer, Daedelus, and Nosaj Thing and bring the genre to a wider audience.
Tonight, Buffalo’s Dreamland multi-purpose gallery will host a showcase of local beatmaking talent including sets from Chauncey Tails, whose fresh tracks feature pitch-shifted vocals and a warped hip hop feel, and Melissa Hasagun, with her ethereal, reflective style that blends low-key rhythms with textured soundscapes. Other producers performing include Denzel and Brother Bless. The event starts at 7:30 and donations will be accepted at the door.