On June 28th of this year, Detroit-based group saajtak celebrated the release of their latest EP Hectic at El Club. The band recorded a video of the performance of the title track of their EP and Ghettoblaster is proud to premiere today.
Since their formation in 2014, songs like “Hectic” is emblematic of saajtak’s constant evolution and pushing of sonic boundaries. The track combines various unexpected styles including techniques of opera and yodeling, distorted bass, ethereal electronic sounds, and insistent drums, all while floating a strong lyrical arc.
“It’s been a precious thing for the band to have blossomed into this long-term project. In the four years we’ve been operating as saajtak, we’ve seen it through lots of phases and transitions. The Hectic release party was one of those happy occasions where we got to see the different phases of saajtak represented in the audience. Some of the people in the crowd that night had attended every show of ours this summer and some were friends that have been supporting us since the beginning,” vocalist Alex Koi says.
“It was great working with Cy and Kai capturing live video for the night. They both do lots of work with Detroit artists, including the Video 7 collective, and we had considered collaborating with them for some time, so the release show ended up being the perfect opportunity to reach out. It was awesome to see the way they were able to preserve the night’s energy through video,” added electronic artist Simon Alexander-Adams
“I am very excited about where saajtak is as a band right now. We have spent the better part of 4 years honing an approach to music that has really just started to manifest clearly, in the form of these new songs. This video of our El Club performance finds us presenting our music in an environment that feels right, and the room was full of people who made us really feel like a part of a community. I’m really proud to share this performance, and it feels like just the tip of the iceberg. Our music and our process owe as much to Meredith Monk and Magma as it does to Kate Bush, so it’s been a long road to find a space that we really fit in. It’s really humbling and energizing to feel like we’re starting to realize something that really connects to people,” bassist Ben Willis mentions.
“This show was especially special because of who we shared it with. We were treated to performances from the innovative rock trio River Spirit, Lexi of the hip-hop collective Video 7, and the brilliant Sonocybernetics of Onyx Ashanti. All are pushing boundaries, and none fit neatly into any box. That’s exactly the space we try to fit in: challenging, effective and surprising,” drummer Jon Taylor said.
Video Premiere: saajtak, "Hectic"
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