Odesza came about when BeachesBeaches and Catacombkid, two well-known Seattle-area producers, joined forces. The results have Pacific Northwest techno fans pretty excited. Odesza, who refer to themselves as a production duo, are glitch-y, dreamy techno, heavy on the chill-out; blending the cut ‘n’ paste minimalism of DJ Shadow, the slow rolling backbeat of hip hop, and indie-tronica like LCD Soundsystem — creating instrumental dreamscapes ideal for a post-club come-down or soundtrack to an overcast Northwestern afternoon.
Odesza is in Eugene supporting their debut release Summer’s Gone. Like the title suggests, the album is infused with a sense of Moby-esque melancholy — like that mix of warmth and sadness you feel when you realize good times come and go. Sampled soulful voices, chopped-up and blissed-out beyond the atmosphere, are threaded through the songs. “Tuytus” features children on a playground; “How did I get Here” echoes with Lily Allen’s Cockney chirp. Musically, Odesza stays restrained, rarely rising above a lullaby to anything remotely rave-y. But fans of IDM (Intelligent Dance Music), as some call this sound, tend to look for something a little more from their techno, something that stimulates their hearts and minds as well as their hips and feet.
Odesza plays with Emancipator and Little People, 8 pm Tuesday, March 12, at WOW Hall; $18 adv., $20 door.