We Went There: Croz Boyce at The Cedar
Croz Boyce, on record, are Avey Tare and Geologist from the legendary aughts band Animal Collective. They put out their debut LP this year, and it highlighted their breezy, nature-infused brand of experimental ambient music. For their stop at the Cedar this week, they bought along a third member of the group, and the band played a charming, engaging hourlong set that both paid tribute to the record and expanded upon it’s soundscapes.
For an album that feels minimalist, their stage setup was more robust than I had imagined. Tables of percussion instruments, synths, guitars, drums and more, the band had all the tools they needed to create a set that was part abstract, part surfy and party art-folk. The songs had the feeling of fragments of a dream, the feeling of leaves rustling or a hand dipping in the water from the side of a canoe pushed forward by the environmental videos projected behind the band.
Like on their record, they wrestled to a draw in the battle between beauty and dissonance, with moments of screeching noise running alongside sections that made it feel like we were floating in space. Soaking in their set, it felt like a masterclass in expansive minimalism. It had the charming undercurrents of Animal Collectives music with a more rustic flair. I’m not sure if the band is going to continue on or if this was a one-off project, but I’m hoping for the latter.
Opening the night was the always-great Powers/Rolin duo, whose haunted, folky primitive Americana perfectly set the stage for the headliners. As usual, they deftly danced between stunning proficiency and more experimental detours, highlighting the lush soundscapes that an acoustic 12-string and hammered dulcimer can create.
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