When it comes to the act of to trying to reduce a band down to a specific genre or musical style for classification's sake, Lymbyc Systym consistently does an outstanding job at making that label-attaching tendency as difficult as possible. By some definitions they're an electronic band, but they use more actual instrumentation in their compositions than digital effects and samples, giving their sound a more organic, authentic essence that spans the gamut and is never predictable. Keeping with that approach, Lymbyc Systym put together a performance at San Francisco's Cafe du Nord that was novel and mesmerizing in equal parts.
Even before Lymbyc Systym—which consists of brothers Jared and Mike Bell—took the stage, it was apparent that this was far from your standard "electronic" show. Instead of two laptops and some other mixing equipment (a set-up that's overly common at this juncture in live music), the stage contained a drum kit eventually manned by Mike, two keyboards and a laptop for Jared, and a violin handled by guest musician Christopher Tignor. The brothers have stated in past interviews that they intend for their live shows to sound as complete as the studio versions, and this proved to be abundantly true at Cafe du Nord.
"Ghost Clock," one of the tracks off their recent piece of studio brilliance, Shutter Release, did wonders in exemplifying the articulated interaction between live instrumentation and pre-arranged sections coming from the computer. Due to the cozy confines of Cafe du Nord, a fuzzy bass derived from Jared's maneuvers on the laptop tingled the tops of peoples' heads, and with Mike's accompanying slaps on the skins, delivered a rich and deep rhythmic component.
While the preponderance of offerings came from Shutter, a few older favorites made their way into the mix as well. "Fall Bicycle" presented a different side of Lymbyc Systym, filled with glitchy beats and a triumphant refrain that sang of an empowering victory despite its lack of words (one of the wide variety of effects stemming from Lymbyc's lyric-less persuits). Still, even with the more digital nature of "Fall Bicycle," Tignor's work from the violin added layers of emotion that wouldn't be possible if mere samples were used.
"Narita," after a slow-to-ascend intro, burst wide open as a result of Mike's sonorous pounding on the drum kit and multi-textured synthesizer work from Jared's fingertips. During "Narita," as the case was throughout the show, Mike kept his eyes shut tightly, inhabiting an almost meditative stance as he banged away and drove songs into each subsequent movement.
Lymbyc Systym's songs are condensed versions of detailed sagas and complex stories, something like Cliff's Notes versions of real novels that don't sacrifice any of the language or imagery that makes the works as compelling as they are. Their prowess in the studio translated beautifully to the stage, with no important aspects lost, but a certain tangibility and boldness added to their live act that made this one all the more indelible in its impact.
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