High Steppin’

From the opening moments of High Step Society’s eponymous debut LP, the listener is dropped down a dust-cloaked chute and spit into a netherworld of speakeasy freedom. The astoundingly visual 10-track album depicts a fever dream of futurist phantasmagoria — robotics at war with compressed air and brass.

You can almost smell the oil and grease, feel the spark plugs bursting with life as the production line churns toward high gear. A moment of birth, or electronic rebirth, then the pulse sweeps in and you bump through coiling cigarette smoke toward the tinny psycho wails of growl and plunger squealing beyond.

As electro-swing goes, this is far from run-of-the-mill. Whereas typical acts within this genre consist of a single sample-wizard and hundreds of hours on Ableton Live, High Step Society brings a full band into that played-out scene and opens it up to new possibilities.

Rebecca Conner’s sultry voice drifts over the thump in welcoming swaths, keeping what would otherwise be an instrumental record from growing tiresome. Of course, the instrumentals play their part. Produced by Nara Reicher and Ethan Rainwater — samples and bass, respectively — a clear and concise vision has been realized.

Clocking in at 40 minutes, the album plays long enough to suck you in without any shortchange of repetition. After the jaunty thrill of side one, the last five tracks seem to meld together — a dizzying spell of spaced psychosis, with only your heartbeat driving the dance.

Recorded at Eugene’s own Track Town Records and mixed in the Whit by Victor De Souza Franca, the LP is evidence that Eugene’s music world could have proper production value if only the interminable acoustic scene would give way to a century shift.

Believe your ears, folks, this new record from the High Step Society is lit. Expect to hear these jams around town after Saturday’s big release party.

High Step Society’s album launch with Doors, Soul Vibrator and Mr Moo starts 8 pm Saturday, Jan. 28, at WOW Hall; $10 adv., $12 door

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!