Racer Session #378 | Crown Larks | June 11, 2017

Crown Larks short circuits the visceral energy of a DIY basement show and the thoughtful composition and group improvisation of jazz. They return to Racer on the back end of a 2-month tour on their sophomore LP, Population, a kaleidoscopic journey that channels the grinding bleakness and dynamic energy of their native city.

The band's recent material explores hypnotic polyrhythms in the vein of Steve Reich, eccentric songwriting a la Dirty Projectors, noisy no wave reminiscent of DNA or Lightning Bolt, and explosive freakouts recalling Sonny Sharrock. Though more thoroughly composed and vocal-centric than their past work, the compositions open up and come to life live, revealing their origins in group collaboration and improvisation.

Crown Larks as a project embodies a critical and anarchic politics that strives for life-affirming collaboration while leaving room for chaos and idiosyncrasy. Population never settles on dissonance or harmony, simplicity or excess, the tame or the wild – and more than a few kids have even managed to dance with them too.