- Bryon Harris
Thriftworks - “Braided and Faded”
Thriftworks' instrumental, electronic song, "Braided and Faded," takes you on an experimental escapade of memorable soundscapes. The music starts with a mellow xylophone and syncopated drum rhythm, introduce the violins and synthesized brass. As the song progresses, a techno-electronica instrumental is bolstered by a hip-hop bass beat that really sets a groove as more melodic and textural instrumentation builds on top of each other. The motif continues to play as eerie vocals harmonies glide over the backbeat. Thriftworks brings various instruments together from violin, mandolin, organ, horns, drums, and ambient effects moving in the background. His psychedelic-techno style is intriguing and exciting.
The complex instrumentation builds as the song progresses. The folding of the synthesized horns and machine drums creates a dynamic and reverent sound. "Braided and Faded" combines sounds and styles in a way that you would not imagine making for an enjoyable and ever-engaging sound. The ethereal harmonies in the vocals and tight bass beat guide you into another phase of the song. Thriftworks' music feels like a journey with different obstacles as we become closer to our destination.
Thriftworks' artistry is innovative and extremely unique. The combination of electronic and natural instrumentation takes you through an emotional tornado of sound. "Braided and Faded" is like being in the fifth dimension where sound and movement are coming together as one. Thriftworks' music is colorful and unpredictable, a perfect example of what it means to have free musical expression. This is music that colors outside the lines creating a masterpiece of songwriting.
About the Thriftworks
Every single morning Jake Atlas boils a mix of garlic, menthol, and delusions of grandeur. He takes a moment to meditate, sips slowly, and predicts the future. Born in Arizona, raised in Pennsylvania, and cutting teeth in the Bay Area of California before a recent move to Oregon, Jake Atlas, better known by his underground and underpaid alias ‘Thriftworks’ is a truly once in a lifetime musician. Painfully unique, he lives somewhere near the intersection of technical ability and unexplored samplecraft. A purveyor and recorder of naturally found sound and a constant seeker of fatherhood’s lessons, Jake himself defies a simple description.
A self proclaimed ornithologist and pteranodon enthusiast, he is an avid outdoorsman, a hot-blooded ginger, a blessed pink salamander person whose sole refuge is to cool his skin in icy rivers. The founder of the Berkeley Bone Roasters and a lover of chess, he serves up minimalistic low-end psychosis and “I can’t dance but I can’t sit still” productions. His energetic live performances have ensured that he is a staple act within the festival circuit around the world. Thriftworks is always recognizable by his incomparable aesthetic, and humorous nod to the absurd. Listen to Gutter Cookies or Cooter Shooter, and send us a postcard from the new universe.