The woods and forests of this world are sanctuary to me. Gaia’s natural beauty accepts all who venture into her serene abode. As my steps further forward, I drink in all wonders that my eyes can see. It matters not whether I explore sprawling forests or decaying copse and grove. Within these havens, I’m reminded of everlasting majesty that calms and soothes my soul. Rather often, pulsing dubstep and glitch-hop rhythms encourage my strides forth. Yet, a silent walk through the woods also leaves me feeling once again full. Still, music is an inspiring accompaniment throughout our pathways and course. On January 25, under the waning crescent of a pale moon, I made a decision over which I did not mull. I’d bear witness to Of The Trees, a powerful architect of sonic force.
I’m Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, and I harbor a deep fascination and respect for the splendors of our world. You have found your way to my stead and standard, which means you also share my passion. Though we exist as individuals, we find strength and solace through the ties of community. That’s the beauty of concert and show experiences, you never know who you’ll find along the way to accompany you during lengths of your journey. This night, I found many I did not expect to encounter. Friends of old, and even some new. However, let’s not get off track. My objective is to share my experience at one of Chicago’s premier venues, The Salt Shed, to define what I divined from Of The Trees presents: Moonglade, thoughtfully.
I love words, they can say so much. A few letters, a few syllables, capably communicate multitudes of meanings. What is moonglade? It’s a noun and its denotation is as follows: the bright reflection of the moon’s light on an expanse of water (Wordnik). Now for a connotation: imagine a cloudless and dark sky, luminescent silver rays of moonlight peering down upon rivers and lakes. A pervading silence harbors a world unseen beneath the surface. Illumination amidst darkness. That’s what my mind’s eye conjures, but that is wholly my own perspective. For Of The Trees, Moonglade is a defining experience in his personal progression though the realm of live electronic performing.
I was fortunate to pair with my friend, and exceptionally talented photographer, Harrison Lupfer for this happening. You’ll notice his gorgeous shots interspersed betwixt my words. This harmonious fella has got a penchant for capturing gorgeousness and glory in many scenes and settings. Captivating moments of action distilled into single shots of stillness speak volumes alongside my own descriptive depictions. Artistry comes in many forms, and when we are at our best, we share our talents to enrich and entertain the lives of others. Potent and powerful collaborators, we become. In a similar vein, Of The Trees brought along his own showcase of musical cohorts, each representing their own techniques and disciplines to encourage the spirits of all those who had come to observe. There were many who made the trek. This was a sold out show, after all.
The lineup consisted of Sylph, DMVU, Opiuo, Detox Unit, with Of The Trees finishing the night’s celebration. Doors opened at 7PM with Sylph leading the charge followed by DMVU. Opiuo came next around approximately 820PM. He’s one of my all-time favorite producers. He, like me, likes beats. Born in New Zealand, he now calls Melbourne, Australia home. His musical productions represent psychedelic soul and funk mingled with corporeal grooving bass. He’s been known to glitch and hop along with some hip action. Plus, he’s adept at conducting an orchestra, and has done so with tremendous proficiency in the past. Not at this event, mind you. Regardless, we gettin’ down tonight, babes! Some of my all-time favorite Opiuo tracks from his far-reaching catalog are ‘Bobby Dazzler’, ‘Humphrey Dumpling’, ‘Dusty Bugs’, ‘Sneakers’, and ‘Life’. Simply put, Opiuo is the truth.
After a quick transition, Detox Unit assumed his place behind the decks. Joseph Roberts creates soundscapes of an experimental sort. There’s plenty of bass, and a frequency that will get your body moving. He showcases tunes rife with breakbeats, hip-hop, and dubstep rhythms. Yeeee buddy, those are all sounds I do LIKE!!! As I’m hanging out along the right side wall with my buddy, Mikie B, he drops this gorgeous and glorious rendition of Lana Del Rey’s, ‘Doin Time’, that nearly brings a tear to my eye. The crowd instantly responded as bodies all about me began swaying like tree limbs within a gentle breeze. Detox Unit has a unique style all his own. I’m going to recommend ‘Aftermarket’ from his Liminal album and ‘Adapt’ off his Deviate EP. It’s all great, you’re gonna like the way he sounds. I guarantee it.
Another short change-over took place before Of The Trees began his Moonglade presentation. There was this wooden construction under which the Pioneer CDJs sat in front of an LED Wall that really caught my eye. Hard not to admire it. It felt like the kind of structure I might find during one of my walks through a boggy, swampy biome. The visual aspects were on point. Lights, excellent VJ accoutrements, and just enough lasers. Balance in all things. Plus, a lighted chandelier that seemingly hung above the DJs and changed its color, complementing the other optical aesthetics. This set was glorious in its entirety and represented the epitome of top tier sound design. In my opinion, no one else produces like Of The Trees. He invests energy and feeling into everything he creates, and it filters throughout each and every member of his audience. That’s one of many reasons his star power has grown so quickly as of late, although Tyler has been putting in the work for quite some time.
There were a lot of unreleased plates and IDs many of us had never experienced before. Well, at least me, anyway. Which is what makes a performance like this such a pleasure to witness. Who doesn’t like new stuff one has never heard, or seen, before? I absolutely freaking do, so what do you got, boo? I’ll highlight a couple of tracks from the night that had me feeling gravy, baby. His terrific collaboration with Barclay Crenshaw and Strategy, ‘Blue Mile’, the terrific Zeds Dead track ‘Sweet Memories’, and personal Of The Trees favorites of my own, ‘Tanglewood’ and ‘The Owl Song’. Would you like to know more? Well then, I recommend you check out Of The Trees website for information about tour stops that might be coming towards an area near you. Phase 2 kicks off January 31 with his one-of-a-kind Moonglade presentation culminating in a March 1 performance in Atlanta. Get after it, dog. It’s worth it, and so are you.
Alright, time for some shoutouts to long time homies and new friends. To start my night, as Harrison and I were getting ourselves ready for entry, I ran into a dapper and well-dressed young man by the name of Keaton. He wore a beautiful golden laced pashmina, a dope jersey, and a dazzling set of Timberland boots. We complimented one another’s get-ups before parting ways, but this wouldn’t be the last I’d see of Keaton. Further along, after my entering the building, a trio of friends, Tay, Carlos, and Mikie B, found me while I was scouting for a nice wall to sit on. It’s something I do, ensuring that walls are sturdy when I venture around venues. Core strength is important. It’s at the center of a powerful foundation. After a short chat, I left their company and went along on my missions.
As I completed my objectives from various perspectives, I received a signal from my boy Chris. HOLLA!!! Check this out. He shared a great way to find your friends in a crowd. Hold up your hat, if you got one. They were in deep, and I was like, “where in the gall darn billy bobby are these kit-kats?” Next thing y’know, the message is received that a hat has gone up into the air. I immediately saw it, and politely made my way towards them, letting folks know along the way what my destination was. That always helps in navigating a crowd, pointing out your destination to those you’re passing by. Plus, say “excuse me”, and apologize if you step on someone’s foot. Crowd etiquette, people. We share these spaces with one another, let’s be respectful while we’re getting down.
At the center of the hat, I found Chris, Randi, Cory, Tiffany, my guy Ty, and ECK, aka Jimmy. We’re chilling as Of The Trees takes the stage when I notice a familiar face I hadn’t seen in a while to my left. I think to myself, “I recognize that headdress, is that Eric?” Guess what… it was!!! Next thing you know, he calls over my other Lost Lands brother, Justin, and we share a big old bear hug. Hell yeah! Apparently, Justin had literally commented to Eric moments before I recognized them that he thought that he had seen me, but Eric informed him he was likely seeing things. Nope! Bear Swiftly has entered the fray. I’d go on to meet some of their two-live crew, and I’ll mention Hannah and Jay, here and now. Jay had a sick set of glasses I fawned over, and Hannah was an absolute sweetheart, just like my sister. I spent the rest of the night in the company of these two groups of friends, which made my heart absolutely sing. Once the night concluded, we said our goodbyes, and I went on to some afterhours entertainment at another of Chicago’s delightful venues, Wicker Park’s The Point. There, Keaton and me officially became fast friends, AND I met a verifiable goddess. Etymology, kids. Signs from the past. However, that’s a story for another time.
Of The Trees presents: Moonglade was a delightful journey through a densely layered forest of sound. Every aspect of production was excellent in quality, and I’ve got nothing but great things to say about Of The Trees, Detox Unit, and Opiuo. Sadly, due to traffic and my jerkface GPS malfunctioning, I missed most of the first two openers. I’m a suburban bear, I really need a driver when I go to Chicago, so I might take applications later on this year. Yea, whatever, it’s all good. Go out, get lost in the sauce, have fun, experience something new, and have fun with your wonderful self!
Once again, I want to thank Harrison Lupfer for sharing his elite skills in photography aiding my coverage. A little over a year ago was our first collaboration at night two of a Zeds Dead three-day run at this same venue, the Salt Shed. That episode, like this one, was a banger. Harrison is a hard working guy, he stays busy, and has talents even beyond the camera. Always great working with him, and if you’re interested in exploring more of his body of work beyond our collaborations, check out Harrison’s socials and website.
That’s all for this episode. Thanks for being generous with your time, reading my words, and listening. I know it was worth your while, and you might have even learned a word or two. Enjoy your journey, wherever it may take you. If you should ever find yourself a little stressed, make for the nearest nature preserve and let the natural order of things bring your mind, body, and soul back to equilibrium. This is Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, signing off. Sayonara all you samurai.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
