Voltage is a noisemaking duo comprised of Chicagoans Erik Schwartz and Todd Bailey. Their particular brand of instrumental noise rock mayhem is often compared to that of Hella but I’d have a hard time putting exactly what they do into words. Avant-garde but structured.

“Bailey plays a vacuum-tube based synthesizer of his own design which is controlled by a modified guitar, and occasionally appears with a touch and breath sensitive analog synth, an interactive jewelry-controlled sequencer or a Commodore 64 computer. On the other end, you will find Schwartz playing a drum kit of his own concoction, consisting of a Frankenstein assortment of marching and rock drums, a glockenspiel, battery operated motors, microphones, and more recently, a laptop configured for live sampling.”

“Considering how difficult it can be to distinguish a good sounding noise band, it’s much easier to assess the coolness of their gear. While Voltage’s technocratic wizardry puts them at the head of the class, their spazz-jazz is sure to win the hearts of high school AV club dorks and Don Caballero freaks alike.” – CMJ

Their latest album Building The Bass Castle, Vol. 1 is out now on Flameshovel Records. Seriously, it seems like everything that label has released lately is great (Bound Stems, Voltage, Maritime, etc…)

MP3 | Voltage – Track 4 Building The Bass Castle Vol. 1
MP3 | Voltage – Track 2 Building The Bass Castle Vol. 1

Related posts:

1. Review: Park – Building A Better______ (or) the coast via the cornfields
2. Review: Bound Stems – The Logic Of Building The Body Plan (or) my kingdom for a trundle bed
3. Review: The Jai-Alai Savant – Fight Of The Bass Delegate (or) Scarlett Johansson why don’t you love me
4. If it ain’t punk it’s junk (vol. 13)
5. If it ain’t punk it’s junk (vol. 11)