 
Chicago's SHAPERS arrived with an eruption! The newly formed four piece bonded based on a shared passion for sonic explorations. The resulting material playfully experiments with atmospheric waves, ambient soundscapes, squalling jazz blasts and pulsing Kraut-rock. Their debut album Little, Big, released last winter, garnered massive praise around their hometown. "Father Trout" kicks off the album with a short but discordant blast that bleeds into the Songs For Airports-inspired "When I Was A Zygote". "Hot Gravy Available" not only wins the best song title of the year but its inspired percussion shuffles onto the dance floor and promptly breaks it. Like a sexed up Can, "Jar" closes out the A side on a rhythmic synth journey with vocals barely breaking through as if they're more of instrument than voice. Side B is nearly consumed by the heavy weight of the second track. "Mothership Sequins," clocking in at fifteen minutes, is the album's loosest jam. Little, Big reveals a band subtly influenced and obviously inspired. SHAPERS features Zaid Maxwell (guitar/synths/vocals), Steve Reidell (guitar/bass), Amelia Styer (synths/vocals) and Todd Waters (drums/percussion). On stage, they pummel audiences with their throbbing performances, entrancing them with visuals manipulated live and a complete lack of banter that leaves very little time to determine when one song ends and the next begins. At a mind numbing volume, the songs hypnotize and traverse listeners through their heavy soundscapes. Whistler Records released SHAPERS second missive, the 7" single titled Happy Birthday Polywog, last November to much praise! The band is pausing from it's recording sessions on their sophomore album to hit the road to the with Tobacco and Beans thoughout the month of April. With a second album and full US tour this summer, 2011 will see SHAPERS ascend far and wide. What the press is saying: "Love the crazed energy on ["Fever Police"] from Chicago's Shapers. It's totally hopped up on this fervant melodicism like you get from Sunset Rubdown, but all jittery and disorienting." Rose Quartz "Atmospheric, ambient, and, in the case of 'Proboscidean,' unafraid of shredding guitars" The Onion AV Club "Very excited about what I am hearing from Chicago outfit, Shapers, who have sent over new songs from a 7″ — two spacey jams, a perfect triplet for the blazing Midwest sun and a cold micro-brew. Understated and mellow, these songs have more in common with ultimate DIYer R. Stevie Moore than most of todays musical landscape, a bold statement that is clearly working well for them." Weekly Tape Deck "[Shapers'] songs go through curious phases and spastic turns, yet all the disparate parts come together in one ecstatic whole. Unconventional and inspired." Chicago Tribune "Throbbing garage rock instrumentals… endearing rants perfectly coinciding with synthy, spaced-out jams" TimeOut Chicago "Well-orchestrated noise that shines live" Chicagoist |
 
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