Cut of the Day: "Flat Earth," Brainstorm

By MATTHEW SINGER

Congotronics meets AM radio avant-pop? That's probably the closest anyone can come to summing up this new track from resourceful Portland duo Brainstorm in a single sentence. Recorded with the guys from Archers in a basement this past winter, "Flat Earth" -- from a new two-song EP of the same name -- sports the rhythmic buzzing of Konono No. 1, the Congolese group that intrigued the blogosphere a couple years ago with its album of dirtily electrified thumb piano, and a melody that wouldn't sound out of place on a compilation of obscure doo-wop singles. There's a lot going on here for a song made by only two guys, but that's to be expected from a group known to regularly intermingle African polyrhythms with keyboards, art-rock and, yes, tuba. Somehow, in the end, it all makes sense. And it's fantastically catchy.

Interested in knowing what that looks like being played live? Here's a performance of the song from January, captured by Terroreyes.tv -- with bonus hot tuba action!

Brainstorm from TERROREYES.TV on Vimeo.

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