Amon Tobin

A Brazilian by birth, Amon Tobin rose to the fore as one of the more experimental members of the '90s drum-and-bass contingent, and his love for fiddling about with technology has only grown with the years. The title of Foley Room, a CD/DVD package, references the spaces where movie sound effects are recorded, and in that tradition, he produces new noises using novel techniques. For instance, here's how Foley's liner notes describe the aural elements heard in "Kitchen Sink": "Bass tones were made by cupping bowls over water in the sink. Droplets were processed to form sounds that resembled finger snaps, etc. Various percussion elements -- cymbals, drum kits, etc. -- were submerged in vats of water, then moved as they were struck, in order to change the tone." Using similar methodology (and contributions from the Kronos Quartet, among others), Tobin generates a soundscape as dense as it is detailed. His appearance at the Bluebird, where he'll spin a DJ set largely drawn from the new material, promises to be a trip well worth taking.