Small Black: Show Preview

Details

Small Black performs with Class Actress and Young Prisms on Saturday, Nov. 6, at the Independent. 9 p.m., $12 advance, $14 doors; www.theindependentsf.com.

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More About

• Josh Kolenik
• Brooklyn (New York City)
• Steve Albini
• Hip-Hop and Rap
• Arts, Entertainment, and Media

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This Brooklyn four-piece might sound like it was named in tongue-in-cheek tribute to the noise-punk mutilators behind Songs About Fucking, but Small Black is galaxies removed from Big Black. While Steve Albini crowed like a menacing lunatic, Small Black's Josh Kolenik just wants to croon you into a lo-fi lull. New Chain (Jagjaguwar), the band's first LP, knits its quilt out of fluttering, sweetly synthetic melodies; hollowed-out beats; and errant blips that pass like shooting stars. Although it's been tagged in the still-ubiquitous "chillwave" and "glo-fi" categories, Kolenik uses "Casio dream noise pop" to describe the material of his bedroom project turned band. Predecessor-wise, he has repeatedly (and rightly) cited Human League, Brian Eno, and David Bowie, but he also loves the Wu-Tang Clan. New Chain deserves to hit big so that Small Black can finance off-the-wall Method Man and Inspectah Deck cameos for its next record.