Electro band Bear Mountain played Portland, Oregon’s Crystal Ballroom on Friday, May 24th, touring their debut EP XO. They were in support for Bloc Party (QRO album review), which seemed like an odd paring, but Bear Mountain made themselves stand out. While XO was released in August 2012, it is now starting to garner wider attention nearly a year later. Their music is described best in their bio as an “electro/dance style (that) blends syncopated bass lines and arpeggiated synth chords with live instrumentation and soaring vocals.” They also loop in dialogue from movies and other sources and, though cliché to say, their music is indeed cinematic.
The band opened with a new track (“Vice”), which lead into “Congo”, a song that is currently trending in the blogosphere and reaching the number five position on Hype Machine. A bongo loop is the foundation of this piece, giving it a distinct summer vibe with a looped choir-like chant which vocalist/bassist Ian Bevis sings over. Their second song, “Two Step”, is the number that first started getting them some attention on blogs last year. Incorporating the “Gone With The Wind” dialogue of the studio version (“You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how”) and the stuttering “ay-oh” vocal sample with clattering live drums of Greg Bevis gives the track added appeal.
Bear Mountain had a surprise up their sleeve when they performed a cover of Tear For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule the World”. It sounded great with another vocal loop, Kyle Statham recreating the signature guitar part and Ian Bevis’ soulful vocals. The band also incorporated their own light show with the visuals and projections by Kenji Ridriguez, which gave the show a cool Technicolor vibe that went well with the music. The band performed a number of new songs that show the band is growing and, even though there are other bands doing this, they have found a way to sound original. “See You Through” from XO was another highlight in their 35 minute set. If this show was any indication of things to come, Bear Mountain should be headlining their next time through town.
Set List
Vice
Congo
Two Step
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears cover)
Swim
Faded
Madeon
House
See You Through
Lights
