Formed in 2012 in Richmond, Virginia, Dumb Waiter was founded by Nick Crider and Nathaniel Roseberry. As Crider explains it, the band’s formation came out of humorous necessity.

 “Back then, I was the booking agent at non-profit venue space and I had booked Lightning Bolt and wanted to be a complete brat and play the show as well. So I asked Nathaniel to start a noise power violence band. After a few practices, Nath brought in more players (Tristan Brennis and Keith Paul) and Dumb Waiter was formed.” Since then, the band has mutated to what could be described as avant-garde jazz rock, looking to move away from being pigeonholed into the “mathrock” label that they generally don’t relate to.

Tsk was recorded by Kevin Bernsten (Full of Hell, Magrudergrind, Weekend Nachos, Noisem) at Developing Nations in Baltimore. Mastered by James Plotkin. The album will be available digitally, on limited edition cassette, and limited edition vinyl (250 copies on solid mint with black splatter) May 15. Preorder it here.

Today Ghettoblaster has the pleasure of premiering the genre-mashing track “VXVPR” from the album. Roseberry explains it like this:

“VXVPR” is one the heaviest songs on the new Dumb Waiter album TSK. The whole TSK record was an exercise in intensity, simplification, and restraint but this track stands out as one of my favorites. 

“On this track we combined several musical genres and feelings to create an intense roller-like coaster experience. The introduction starts with a foreshadowing guitar chugging to an unsettling groove, accompanied by an long and eerie saxophone howl. When the full band comes in, a ’90s Candiria/Botch/Coelese breakdown intensity comes to mind. 

“The song then switches vibes into an almost dizzying dream-like state. As the bass and drums hold a bizarre groove and the guitar twists a dreamy topsy turvy twinkle, the saxophone weaves a psychedelic web into a swinging rock transition. From that moment the sax and rythem section picks up momentum into an almost pop-punk vide, as the guitar takes a bright and beautiful lead. 

“Nearing the halfway mark the song whirlwinds into an intense post-rock section with the saxophone taking the lead as we mellow out into a more relaxed version of a similar groove. We then spiral into a jagged screeching transition before dropping into a very dark circus like heavy groove. From this groove we transition into the final section of the song which pays a bit of homage to Messhugah. This section switches back and forth from guitar lead to sax lead as the rhythm section chugs an almost gent-like riff into a tight finish.”