Rabbits Black Guide to Filter’s Culture Collide Festival 2013 (Oct.10-12)

Like an international buffet, Filter Magazine’s Culture Collide Festival brings to the table a smattering of the world’s emerging musical talents. Beginning this Thursday October 10 – Saturday October 12, the world converges on Echo Park for sights and sounds as far away as Senegal and Israel, to those more homegrown bands from right here southern California. In addition to live shows, the event will feature Culture Collide’s second annual creative summit with keynote speakers including Moby, street artist Shepard Fairey, and thenewno2 frontman Dhani Harrison – this roundtable will focus on the worlds of innovation and creativity. Other summit events will discuss international festival circuits, licensing opportunities for international artists, and much more; not to mention the much-clamored-for beers of the world happy hours on Thursday and Friday.

The concentration of Echo Park venues creates a big dipper-esque layout that is easily accessible and no more than a 5 minute hoof to the next venue. So get your dancing shoes on because whether your musical tastes lie close to home or you’re only up to date on Denmark’s artists, Rabbits Black has got you covered. Prepare yourself for a musical trip around the world so fast that it will make Jules Verne blush – here are some of the festival’s most alluring and exciting talent.

Thursday

Like Swimming @ Lot 1 Cafe
10:00 PM

Swedish pop has easily found a second home here in the US (Robyn, Icona Pop, Miike Snow). It’s no wonder then why Culture Collide’s lineup is rife with Swedish music makers. Like Swimming (do you?) is an indie pop trio likely to carry on the torch of their fellow countrymen. Their single “Go Buffalo”, which released to much fanfare this summer, diligently builds emotion over its ebullient beat. Its signature Swedish bounce is a trojan horse for the song’s lyrical matter. By song’s end, lyrics that trace a difficult journey and blossom anew just as its delirious musicality would have you infer.

IZA @ Taix Front Lounge
10:50 PM

IZA is a two-time Polish Grammy winning vocalist who has recently teamed up with Snoop Lion (Snoop Dogg). Yes you read that right – a Polish grammy winning vocalist and the LBC’s original dizzle. Their forthcoming album/movie project “Birds of a Feather” is due out later this year. IZA sings with the aery delicacy that draws comparisons to Lykke Li while she musically marries new age R&B with pop influences.

 

Friday

Bleached @ World Stage
9:15 PM

Sisters Jennifer and Jessica Clavin are Bleached, a post-punk / pop confection. They tout a white-washed, beachy sheen unique to L.A. garage bands. If you didn’t catch them at this summer’s Jubilee Music & Arts festival, let them milk the last drop of California summer for you from this stubborn October sun with their gritty guitars and manic melodies that play like an homage to L.A.’s former punk scene.

Jacco Gardner @ The Church
9:00 PM

Hailing from the Netherlands, Jacco Gardner is a maestro in the unique world of baroque pop. It is a sound that harkens to delicate stylings of rock amid the ‘60s British Invasion. As an instrumentalist, Jacco brings together the harpsichord, strings, flutes and other classical instruments to mine a wide breadth of the genre. His effervescent mellotron might have you floating through polyphonic spectrums of psychedelica while the gentle pluck of his harpsichord transports to endless gossamer fields of lavender.

Saturday

Float Fall @ Lot 1 Cafe
9:20 PM

Float Fall’s dreamy male-female exchange between the front of Rozanne Descheemaeker and Ruben Lefever offers initial comparison to The XX. This Belgian multi-instrumentalist duo’s single “Someday” oozes a wry, sexuality in their lyrical exchange; their forbidden coos dance over the echoing drum samples layered in the song’s background.

Terry Poison @ Taix Front Lounge
7:00 PM

Terry Poison (no not my porn alter-ego, the other one) is an Israeli dancetronica trio born out of the club scene of Tel Aviv. They are a playful, infectious take on the club-ready genre that will have you not only getting lost in the beats, but singing along as well. The group isn’t known for their subtlety on stage so be sure to get an eyeful at this, or their other, Friday show.