As a performing artist, Ben “Max Tundra” Jacobs, is known to be a rather esoteric fellow. So extremely erratic and seemingly completely unrelated are his recorded efforts, that he was reputedly turned down a major label deal, due to some smart exec deeming his demo tape, ‘too full of ideas’.
Which seems like a bit of a ridiculous slice of corporate reasoning, especially considering the undeniable demand for the kind of hip electronic music Jacobs produces.
All this went over the sparse gathering of hardcore fans heads that were to be found in the Kazimer club.
So much so, that it seemed conceivable that he couldn’t be different enough for them, many seemed to be begging him for more than just the glitchy electro that he is most renowned for. Still, in this age, it is in a bizarrely disconcerting to see one man produce so much noise, with the absolute bare minimum of equipment, with a lot of his set resembling the late 60’s rambling synthesiser of White Noise and Silver Apples.
Jacobs himself is a weaving dervish of a man, clearly relishing the idea of performing live in a city he seemed to love – by producing of all things, a cover of the cities ridiculous proto-electro band, the K.L.F. And quite endearingly, dancing and spinning throughout the entire set, twirling wherever his fingers were needed to manipulate one of the many children’s toy instruments he had brought with him.
The set itself featured very little vocals, but an undeniable spirit of house and jazz music, and an obvious love for the chiptune and experimental electronica that earns him a living too.
He is in many ways the exact thing experimental music needs to hear right now, but the shame in his emergence is not in the content, but more than likely the timing. With a new album out this year,
Flying Lotus has already set the boundary astronomically high in terms of sampled and skittery electronica, now all that remains is to see whether homegrown artists like Max Tundra can reach those heady heights.
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