SUNDAY, AUGUST 12:

It would be easy to dismiss Hecuba as a vapid, musically insipid enterprise in hipster-cronyism, propelled along by the faux-edginess of ironic outfits and asymmetric haircuts. But doing so, my friends, would be a huge, huge mistake. A strange concoction of organic sounds that collectively forms an eerie, glitchy electro landscape, Hecuba’s music explores every manner of extremes whilst keeping a tight rein on its overall aesthetic. Wildly unpredictable in both form and instrumentation, the songs oscillate between oozing atmospherics and dance-able grooves, split between laid-back composure and an intense sense of immediacy bordering on the claustrophobic. The music is as difficult to pigeonhole as it is easy to understand—it’s unabashedly eccentric yet still engaging, with oddball quirkiness deflecting any expectations the listener might initially hold. Hecuba are so uncompromisingly unique in their approach that any attempt at comparison seems hackneyed and stale; however, for those in need of a reference point, this falls somewhere in between Wagon Christ (although less goofy) and Boards of Canada (although nowhere near as creepy). It’s incredibly versatile and all-encompassing music—a dance party, a rock show, a visual spectacle, and a soundtrack all at once. It’s hyper-intellectual but there isn’t a trace of self-congratulatory smugness or sarcasm to be found anywhere. Go check them out if you want to witness something both exceptionally smart and genuinely unconventional. (JT)

WITH LUCKY DRAGONS, HAZ’M AND ALMADEN AT PEHRSPACE, 325 GLENDALE BLVD., ECHO PARK. 8 PM / CONTACT VENUE FOR COVER / ALL AGES. WWW.PEHRSPACE.ORG.