The Phenomenal Handclap Band

Add Date: June 16

Artist: The Phenomenal Handclap Band

Album: The Phenomenal Handclap Band

Label: Friendly Fire

Genre: Defies classification

Comments: From the promoter: "The Phenomenal Handclap Band is a tight-knit aggregation of musicians and artists from Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn... The collective started when [Daniel] Collas and [Sean] Marquand, two New York underground club DJs, became restless with the concept of playing other people's music. Both... had an almost encyclopedic knowledge of esoteric music ranging from Brazilian soul to vintage psych-rock, so becoming producers seemed to be the next logical step... They have crafted a sound that is equal parts anthemic, dancefloor-oriented and orchestral, borrowing elements from progressive rock, disco, electro and psychedelia."

I kept trying to pin down this record by genre, but finally gave up. This hybrid of classic funk and soul, '70s disco, '60s psych pop, and timeless rock should find a very wide audience. Guests include members of TV on the Radio and Calla. Check out the promoter's recommendations.