Aipotu Challenges Conventions of Rock
By Robert Waddell, January 2, 2010
In the depths of the East Village, a building without number and darkened corridors lead to the apartment headquarters of the exciting underground group Aipotu.
The rock, soul, ska and funk fusion band is relatively new but have already developed a popular and loyal following. Aipotu, which is utopia spelt backwards, is pronounced a-pea-two.
First meeting on the street in 2008, the group's leader Azrael was drawn, even pulled he said, towards his fellow musician's style that connected to his own ideas and music sensibility.
To be sure, Aipotu is a reaction to all the rock groups who look a like, dress a like and sound a like, without any concept that rock and roll is the music of revolt and alternative. But, what often happens, the underground goes above ground, becomes mainstream and accepted then a malaise of conformity sets in.
For Aipotu, their original music is edgy and alive, full of passion and imaginations. Azrael, who grew up in Brooklyn, and studied art and acting came to music early. He and his fellow band members are not old time rockers or new age or punk but something different and new. They're polite, educated but with an eye on the alternative.
In the group's lair, one finds a children's hobbyhorse and a whaler's harpoon next to a drum kit and instruments.
"They are astro-dynamic," said poet Yenny Love. "Azrael is so dynamic and ahead of his time. He has so many amazing ideas constantly zooming through his brain. He is always coming up with crazy, unbelievable concepts...his voice resonates."
The Aipotu sounds slips in and out of musical styles easily, almost camellian in nature, acoustic guitar one minute, hip hop the next, turn around rock cords are struck. This is a compact, focused group that could have a multiple personality disorder but instead has a clear musical identity and a true harmonic vision.
Aipotu works on their first album, securing club dates and perhaps a tour next summer. For certain, this is a group at the very beginning of its life where all the elements come together, strands pulled tight, loosened until the right combination of elements click but for now the group continues creating and developing new work. Azrael and Aipotu's musical ideas are a culmination of a life-long ingestion of musical styles now filtered through these young Turks who aim to take on the rock establishment, to some degree.
"What we've got now with this collection of songs so far," Azrael said, "is a very positive vibe, pure high energy with a lot of room for atmosphere and chaos."
Songs like "Velcro Lotus" or "Imperfectionist" takes melancholy lyrics like "You’re getting way too good at crossing the line / more trouble than you're worth is the value seen/with every bridge you've burned I'm coming to find/ you only leave behind the scent of Kerosene."
While relying on other musical styles, Aipotu layers their music with sensuousness, spirituality and at once relaxed then jumping into a heated composition of acid jazz, hip hop and rock ritual mélange.
Not too much exposure, no record out yet, not many gigs however the youthful energetic ambitious sexuality shines through on music that is pleasant, sexy and disturbing all at the same time.
To hear Aipotu log onto their My Space page at: http://www.myspace.com/718trapstar.
And to see them, check out Aipotu on You Tube at:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGcgMwlUylE}.
This story was developed through the Education Beat Writing Fellowship at the New York Community Alliance. |
