North Carolina duo Sylvan Esso combines the distinct talents of Mountain Man singer Amelia Meath and Megafaun’s bass-wielding producer Nick Sanborn. The latter’s warm but deeply electronic touch creates an unlikely yet enticing backdrop for the lithe vocals of the former, evidenced on their out-now double-sided single “Hey Mami”/”Play It Right.” For shorthand, one might imagine a folksier yet more booming Purity Ring — or one might just hit play on the clip above to watch the pair do their thing. Stepping into the Moog Sound Lab (see previous visits by Megafaun, Little Dragon, Twin Shadow, the Antlers, and Ra Ra Riot), Sylan Esso are in their element: a space where there’s no limit to the number of ways in which Meath’s voice can be bent. On this live re-creation of “Hey Mami,” Sanborn loops and layers her at first, then delivers the beat around 1:30. They’re currently on the road, and joining Justin Vernon’s Volcano Choir for a handful of dates.
Sylvan Esso tour dates:
September 5 – Raleigh, NC @ Hopscotch Music Festival
September 6 – Chicago, IL @ Metro*
September 7 – Indianapolis, IN @ Vogue*
September 8 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix*k
September 9 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground*
September 11 – Boston, MA @ Paradise*
September 12 – Washington DC @ 9:30 Club*
September 14 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall*
* with Volcano Choir
