AUGUST 2008 ONLINE EDITORIALS
Galaxies - Galaxies
By Greta Cornett
Over the past three years, Dillon Groeneman has become one of my favorite young musicians. Most people will remember him as the drummer for the heavily Mars Volta influenced Ever the Jetsetter. They were a young high school group (think freshmen/sophomores) who managed to fuse a live electronica sound with lots of jazz overtones and pull it off in an extremely hip way.
Groeneman is now on his own with a new project and a new CD (and he’s still in high school). Not surprisingly, this talented drummer decided to go solo as Galaxies to push your boundaries. In the self-titled CD release, Groeneman displays musical ideas far beyond the reach of your average musician, blending interesting electronica with an old school 70s-funky vibe and throwing in some odd instruments, contradictory rhythms, and an indie rock flair for good measure.
The first few songs on the album will grab you with just how far outside of the box he is thinking. You feel like you could be sitting in on a jam session inside of his head. Each thought throws out an idea and the next will play on it, own it, tease the others and tangle up in a playful camaraderie.
“Experiment One” was when I noticed just how cool what I was listening to really was. It is a laid back funky beat with just enough delay going on to make you experience the disorientation of “being in two places at once”.
And if “Experiment One” makes you want to dance, “Experiment Two” makes you want to chill and contemplate. It has an extremely haunting piano line with lots of interesting percussion popping up here and there at odd times to keep your senses alive.
My favorite song on the album is “Illuminated.” It produces a very retro vibe using (perhaps) a Rhodes with banjo and cello coming through clearly.
On Galaxies, Groeneman has managed to do what most musicians only wish they could do – to come out with something new. He has managed to blend many styles of music and make the mix his own in a very original way. Dare I say he puts me in mind of Miles Davis? He is not afraid to take risks, and he doesn’t overcomplicate his music. It is humble, aggressive, and raw – always making sense even if unexpected. I suggest you check this youngster out and introduce yourself to the new sound in Fort Collins.